After tonight, reupping my warning from 2017 about how Trump could become like Putin. In retrospect, I wonder if I was not alarmed enough: "Opinion | We can’t let Trump go down Putin’s path." THREAD 1/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/02/06/we-cant-let-trump-go-down-putins-path/

"In retrospect, Russians who lament the consolidation of Putin’s autocracy all say they reacted too slowly at the beginning. " 2/

"They [Russians] didn’t believe things could get so bad. They didn’t believe Putin would ever go as far as he did. Back in 2000, Putin had few allies within the state, and lukewarm support in society." 3/

"Back then [2000], important actors in Russia’s business class remained autonomous from the state, regional leaders also acted a check on Moscow’s power, independent media still existed and parliament still enjoyed some real power." 4/

"Had these forces pushed back immediately against creeping authoritarianism, Russia’s political trajectory might have been different." 5/

"Sounds familiar? [Like Putin] Trump also had never run for office before last year. He presented himself emphatically as a law-and-order candidate. He has promised to cut taxes, thus ensuring support from the business community." 6/

"Like Putin in 2000, he has pledged “to make America great again.” Just as Putin ordered the Russian army into Chechnya, Trump has already [remember, I was writing in 2017] threatened to send federal forces into Chicago." 7/

"Just like Putin, Trump and his team have labeled as enemies protesters, journalists and members of allegedly “terrorist” nations." 8/

"Trump’s recent Twitter screed against those opposing him — “Professional anarchists, thugs and paid protesters” — sounds eerily similar to Putin’s reaction to crowds mobilized against him in 2011-2012." 9/

"Like Putin, Trump’s weapon of action so far has been the executive order. Trump’s ideology — a populist conservative nationalism aimed against the liberal international order — hauntingly echoes Putinism." 10/

"Thankfully, this historic analogy is not precise. American democratic institutions — including Congress, the courts, the opposition party, state-level governments, the media and civil society — are much more robust today than similar Russian institutions were in 2000." 11/

as demonstrated already in the Trump era, when millions across the nation protested against Trump in general and then, a few days later, thousands protested against his ill-advised migrant travel ban, American society is far more willing & capable to mobilize to defend democracy

"& Trump’s autocratic proclivities today are not as obvious or well-defined as Putin’s were in 2000. (I realize some will find this last assessment naive and overly optimistic.)" Tonight, after watching Trump, I now wonder if I was too naive in 2017? 13/

Unlike Putin, Trump has not succeeding in undermining completely American democratic institutions in 4 years. But what would happened if he was given 4 more years? Your thoughts? 14/ END THREAD.