3 chapters across the catalog
Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat appeared on MSNBC to link Donald Trump's immigration rhetoric to 1920s fascist leaders like Benito Mussolini. She claimed that the framing of migrants as a threat to "white civilization" is a hallmark of right-wing authoritarianism. The segment also critiques how media outlets use selective clips of Speaker Mike Johnson to validate these academic theories.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat and the Authoritarian Playbook Narrative
PBS featured NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat to analyze Donald Trump's rhetoric through the lens of authoritarianism. Ben-Ghiat claimed that Trump's "drain the swamp" slogan was originally used by Mussolini; however, fact-checkers have noted that Mussolini used the phrase literally regarding physical swamps, whereas the political metaphor is considered uniquely American.
NBC News "Think" Segment and Authoritarianism Claims
NBC News featured an editorial by Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat titled "Think," which argues that President Trump is following an "authoritarian playbook." The segment compares Trump's rhetoric to that of historical dictators like Hitler and contemporary leaders like Putin and Erdogan. Critics view the piece as evidence of NBC's departure from objective journalism in favor of anti-Trump activism.
