The Despot's Apprentice

Donald Trump's Attack on Democracy

By: Brian Klaas, David Talbot - foreword

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

An ex-US campaign advisor who has sat with the world's dictators explains Donald Trump's increasingly authoritarian tactics and the threat they pose to American democracy.

Donald Trump isn't a despot. But he is increasingly acting like the "despot's apprentice", an understudy in authoritarian tactics that threaten to erode American democracy, including attacking the press, threatening rule of law by firing those who investigate his alleged wrongdoings, using nepotism to staff the White House, and countless other techniques.

Donald Trump is borrowing tactics from the world's dictators and despots. Trump's fascination with the military, his obsession with his own cult of personality, and his deliberate campaign to blur the line between fact and falsehood are nothing new to the world of despots. But they are new to the United States. With each authoritarian tactic or tweet, Trump poses a unique threat to democratic government in the world's most powerful democracy.

At the same time, Trump's apprenticeship has serious consequences beyond the United States. His bizarre adoration and idolization of despotic strongmen - from Russia's Putin, to Turkey's Erdogan, or to the Philippines' Duterte - has transformed American foreign policy into a powerful cheerleader for some of the world's worst regimes.

The Despot's Apprentice: Donald Trump's Attack on Democracy explores how Trump uniquely threatens democracy - and how to save it from him.

©2017 Brian Klaas, David Talbot (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Just wow

I waited until 2021 to listen to this and wow! Very prescient. We have all seen just how fragile our democracy is. But it is always worth fighting for.

Revealing!

I learned so much from this book! I highly recommend it to understand what happened at the White House.

Some Painful Truths

Mr. Klass opened my eyes to a lot of truths most of us would prefer not to know. Stay ignorant at your own peril. Biden's presidency does not mean we are saved.

The nightmare may not be over

A detailed recount of the nightmare of Donald Trump as president of the USA.
Let’s ensure he can never run again.

Brian was clairvoyant

this was an amazing read and amazing listen Brian was truly ahead of his time and I will continue to read his works for as long as he blesses us with his work.

How long and then some

To think the man stayed in office and his cult wanted more. it's just amazing and scary. Very very scary for the whole world. I wish Americans would go less for the optics and more for what really counts. But then when you elect an actor, Reagan, and then a misguided realty person, whereto next.....
Anyway I did enjoy reading this book from 2017. Too bad and sad things are so soon forgotten.

Thorough and fair

A well-researched book for lovers of democracy—whether on the right, center, or left.

I think every American should listen to or read this book

The book was very well done and very well narrated. It brings up points in history of the world that parallel the situation we found ourselves in during the Trump era. I wish they still had civics in school to teach the high school students who are about to be voters about the importance of a democracy. I highly recommend this book and I am not a political person.

Did they use a crystal ball?

Amazing foresight! For a book which was written early in Trump’s presidency, it describes events, behaviors and personality characteristics which did not become apparent to many of us until much later.

Excellent

I love Brian Klaas’s podcast, Power Corrupts, and this book is similar in content, although focused more on the former POTUS. I missed his voice from the audiobook, but so glad I could listen for free! Def recommend!