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Is the U.S. headed for autocracy?

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office earlier this month.
Andrew Harnik
/
Getty Images
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office earlier this month.

Is the United States headed toward autocracy?

That's a question prompted by a steady stream of executive orders seeking to consolidate power in the White House and upend long held policies and norms.

New York Times Opinion writer M. Gessen lived through much of Russia's slide into autocracy, and wrote a book about it.

They argue that one of the ways Vladimir Putin consolidated power... was by making a series of arguments that seemed outrageous at the time — like the idea that the LGBT population was a threat to Russian sovereignty.

President Donald Trump's second term has been marked by a string of policy proposals that would have been unthinkable in any other administration.

Even if they don't go anywhere, they're reshaping the boundaries of our democracy.

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