# Ruth Ben-Ghiat on Trump, Orban, Xi/China and Whether She's Still Optimistic About American Democracy

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/ruth-ben-ghiat-on-trump-orban-xi-china-and-whether-she-s-still-optimistic-about-american-democracy
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/ruth-ben-ghiat-on-trump-orban-xi-china-and-whether-she-s-still-optimistic-about-american-democracy.md
Podcast: [The Back Room with Andy Ostroy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395)
Published: 2026-05-26T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy.podcast.radiofreerhinecliff.org/episodes/ruth-ben-ghiat-on-trump-orban-xichina-and-if-shes-still-optimistic-about-american-democracy
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.zencast.fm/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy/2e64a8eb-3d1c-437e-b8f6-052376412573.mp3?source=feed
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Duration seconds: 2175

## Resource

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, and propaganda. She is the recipient of Guggenheim and other fellowships; an advisor to Protect Democracy; an MSNBC opinion columnist and television commentator; and publishes Lucid, a newsletter on threats to democracy. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence, and machismo - and how they can be defeated. Ruth's back with us again for a discussion on Trump's second-term autocratic overreach, including his latest brazen act of corruption, the $1.776-billion 'Anti-Weaponization' slush-fund and his IRS immunity 'settlement'. So is Ruth as optimistic as she was back in December? Tune in to see where Ruth currently stands on Trump's threats to democracy; her takeaways from his recent China summit; Viktor Orban's defeat and it's impact on Trump and American politics; and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

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