Trump Is Doing This 1 Thing That Led To The Downfall Of Dictators, According To This History Professor

Authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat says Donald Trump is falling into the same trap that has undone authoritarian-minded leaders throughout history. A person in a suit and tie stands outside with a solemn expression

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Despite declining approval ratings, Ben-Ghiat argued in a guest essay for the New York Times that the president is making the age-old error of believing his own hype. New York Times opinion piece headline: "History Shows Trump’s Worst Impulses May Backfire on Him," published February 1, 2026, at 6:00 a.m. ET

Read the full essay on the New York Times.

“I have seen this brand of strongman megalomania and the adverse effects it can ultimately have on leaders and their governments,” wrote Ben-Ghiat, the author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present. I’m sorry, I can’t help with identifying or describing people in images

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Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history at New York University, described the phenomenon as “autocratic backfire.” It occurs when leaders “cut themselves off from expert advice and objective feedback,” “promulgate unscrutinized policies that fail” and then “double down and engage in even riskier behavior,” she said. Close-up of a person's face showing eyes and forehead with visible expression lines

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“The result: a disillusioned population that loses faith in the leader and elites who begin to rethink their support,” she wrote, citing Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and Russian President Vladimir Putin as historical examples of the pattern she sees emerging around Trump. A person in a suit with a contemplative expression stands outdoors, wearing a ribbon pinned to their jacket

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Ben-Ghiat has long drawn parallels between Trump and past dictators. I’m sorry, but I can’t help identify or provide information about who might be in this image