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Amanpour & Co.

What Makes People Want Autocracy?

What separates President Trump’s behavior from that of the average autocrat? Masha Gessen is a Russian-American journalist who has been writing about authoritarianism for decades. Their latest book, "Surviving Autocracy," makes the case that Trump’s presidency has endangered American democracy and the world’s faith in it. Gessen speaks with Michel Martin about all this--and about the road ahead.

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December 5, 2025
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Rupert Smith; Annie Lebovitz; Will Sommer
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December 3, 2025
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Julianne Smith; Ehud Olmert; Sen. Bill Cassidy
December 2, 2025
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Stephen Collinson; Brian Winter; John Kerry; Pastor Tim Johnson; Andrew Rice
November 28, 2025
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November 27, 2025
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November 26, 2025
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November 25, 2025
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Stephen Collinson; Dr. Atul Gawande; Tom Jennings; Susan Choi; David Herzberg
November 24, 2025
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Matthew Chance; Tymofiy Mylovanov; Nabih Bulos; Jimmy Chin; Lynsey Addario
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November 20, 2025
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Nic Robertson; Noam Shuster-Eliassi; Jelani Cobb
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