Renowned U.S. historian and political scientist Robert Kagan warns that Donald Trump is actively undermining American democracy. In an interview with the German magazine “Der Spiegel”, Kagan said that President Trump “would absolutely not allow the House of Representatives to become democratic”. He asserted that the president is deliberately seeking to weaken congressional elections. Kagan, who previously advised Republican presidential candidates, explained that Trump is expected to use the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as his own “S‑A”-for instance, by deploying ICE agents to states that are governed democratically, such as California, shortly before elections. He contends that Trump could encourage these agents to act as violently and aggressively as possible, sparking massive protests in his scenario. The protests, according to Kagan, would then be allowed to intensify to the point where Trump could invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act and deploy the military, thereby creating a pretext to stage alleged voter fraud and seize control of the ballot boxes.
Kagan, who is a researcher at the Brookings Institution in Washington, calls Trump a “wannabe dictator” and argues that the United States is already “two feet” into dictatorship, and it is quite far in. He says the Trump administration is destroying the “stable liberal world order that has existed for 80 years”. Kagan predicts the emergence of a multipolar world dominated by the great powers-Russia, China, and the United States. He says it is no exaggeration to claim that this path will plunge the world into the most dangerous era since World War II, with the Cold War being nothing of the sort. Kagan says, “Trump wants to become the world emperor”.
Adding a European perspective, Kagan warned that as long as Trump remains in power the U.S. constitutes an enemy for Europe. He compares the applause of European politicians for U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference to the relief over what he sees as the temporary easing of conditions for Greenland. “We are all suffering from the syndrome of the abused family member” Kagan said. He argues that Europeans who continue to try to placate Trump, believing they can manipulate him through his ego, are on a path that will lead to their downfall and subjugation by ruthless empires.
Germany described Kagan as “the most important bastion of liberalism in the world”. He hopes the country will reinforce its defenses to protect that role, rather than pursue its own national interests.
Despite possible personal consequences, Kagan says he will remain in the United States. “I will never leave. I know what could happen. If it does, that’s what it is”.
