A Dark Future for Ukrainian – and American – Democracy

Stephen Humphreys reports on an alarming discussion between writers Anne Applebaum and John Meacham about two democracies at a tipping point

John Meacham and Anne Applebaum on stage at Vanderbilt University, Nashville. Photo: Stephen Humphreys

On the same day that 77% of Tennessee Republicans were voting in the primary to send Donald Trump back to the White House, two of America’s leading historians addressed an anxious audience at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Against this spectre of support for the candidate recently held liable for sexual assault and financial fraud, and facing trial for stealing national defense secrets, paying off a porn star to mislead voters, praising and refusing to criticize Putin despite the invasion of Ukraine and the murder of Navalny, and intimidating state officials racketeer-style to change the results of an election he lost, presidential biographer John Meacham and Iron Curtain chronicler Anne Applebaum focused less on assessing past world events than on forecasting the future of America.

But history is in the balance now that US political divisions have enabled a minority to successfully shut off US aid to Ukraine, while recent Intelligence reports establish that Russian intelligence and pro-Trump politicians and pundits at the very least share a disinformation echo chamber. There is evidence of more direct connections between fake news generated by Russian intelligence and the Trump supporters who repeat it.