Susan Glasser

Obviously, since the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was passed, I believe in the late 70s or early 80s, it was kind of one of the last gasps of that post-Watergate bout of reforms. The United States economy has only grown and grown and become more dominant and successful. And so it's really about making war on the idea of America as being a kind of a value-based global superpower.

Obviously, since the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was passed, I believe in the late 70s or early 80s, it was kind of one of the last gasps of that post-Watergate bout of reforms. The United States economy has only grown and grown and become more dominant and successful. And so it's really about making war on the idea of America as being a kind of a value-based global superpower.

And, you know, in the past, right, you know, you look at other superpowers, other empires, they were ethnic based or they were nationalist at core. And the United States was always about the notion of an idea. Now, we didn't always live up to it.

And, you know, in the past, right, you know, you look at other superpowers, other empires, they were ethnic based or they were nationalist at core. And the United States was always about the notion of an idea. Now, we didn't always live up to it.

Yeah, and by the way, that continues to fuel a lot of Donald Trump, right? You can definitely continue to see him as a reaction against the excesses of his predecessor's foreign policy and activism in the world. In fact, just in his Mideast tour this week, you hear him complaining about neocons and military adventures, and I'm not going to lecture you.

Yeah, and by the way, that continues to fuel a lot of Donald Trump, right? You can definitely continue to see him as a reaction against the excesses of his predecessor's foreign policy and activism in the world. In fact, just in his Mideast tour this week, you hear him complaining about neocons and military adventures, and I'm not going to lecture you.

And he's responding as much to George W. Bush's Republican-led invasion of Iraq as he is to any acts by Democratic predecessors. So it's a reaction. It's a reactionary movement that Trump has led of a minority of Americans, by the way. He won the popular vote. He came just short of a majority in the 2024 election. But it's really the core of MAGA is a minority of Americans that have

And he's responding as much to George W. Bush's Republican-led invasion of Iraq as he is to any acts by Democratic predecessors. So it's a reaction. It's a reactionary movement that Trump has led of a minority of Americans, by the way. He won the popular vote. He came just short of a majority in the 2024 election. But it's really the core of MAGA is a minority of Americans that have

passionately subscribed to Donald Trump's essentially rejectionist view. Somebody said to me, you know, Donald Trump wants to repeal the 20th century. Well, a lot of it came with all these rules and norms and laws.

passionately subscribed to Donald Trump's essentially rejectionist view. Somebody said to me, you know, Donald Trump wants to repeal the 20th century. Well, a lot of it came with all these rules and norms and laws.

You know, certainly in the Middle East, he is in his preferred aesthetic. There is enough gold everywhere to satisfy him. But I think you're right. You know, he essentially does not subscribe to the basic principles in our constitution. And in fact, He was directly asked about this in a television interview a couple of weeks ago and meet the press, Kirsten Welker.

You know, certainly in the Middle East, he is in his preferred aesthetic. There is enough gold everywhere to satisfy him. But I think you're right. You know, he essentially does not subscribe to the basic principles in our constitution. And in fact, He was directly asked about this in a television interview a couple of weeks ago and meet the press, Kirsten Welker.

And she said, aren't you supposed to uphold the Constitution? He paused and he literally said, I don't know.

And she said, aren't you supposed to uphold the Constitution? He paused and he literally said, I don't know.

I think you're right that, again, this was a key shift from Trump's first term to Trump's second term is understanding, especially in the key positions like attorney general, like White House counsel, you want to have lawyers who are going to give you what you want. And so he's taken the extraordinary step. of appointing multiple of his personal lawyers, by the way. So it's not just Pam Bondi.

I think you're right that, again, this was a key shift from Trump's first term to Trump's second term is understanding, especially in the key positions like attorney general, like White House counsel, you want to have lawyers who are going to give you what you want. And so he's taken the extraordinary step. of appointing multiple of his personal lawyers, by the way. So it's not just Pam Bondi.

Todd Blanch, who's the Deputy Attorney General, now also acting Librarian of Congress because they fired the Librarian of Congress.

Todd Blanch, who's the Deputy Attorney General, now also acting Librarian of Congress because they fired the Librarian of Congress.

No, that is not what's happening at the Library of Congress. What are you talking about? It's the personalization of power, which is so fundamentally at odds with and incompatible with a system of constitutional checks and balances. That's what Trump doesn't subscribe to. This goes all the way back to his first term, by the way. He said, you know, I have the power to do anything I want.

No, that is not what's happening at the Library of Congress. What are you talking about? It's the personalization of power, which is so fundamentally at odds with and incompatible with a system of constitutional checks and balances. That's what Trump doesn't subscribe to. This goes all the way back to his first term, by the way. He said, you know, I have the power to do anything I want.