Expert warns Trump may be entering ‘dictator trap’ with no return

President Donald Trump could be heading towards a common trap for dictators with no return, an expert believes.

According to a recent YouGov poll, Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to an all-time low to just 34 %.

Now an expert raises concerns that the only direction for Trump from here might be down a well-documented path previously paved by the likes of Vladimir Putin and Benito Mussolini.

“I have seen this brand of strongman megalomania and the adverse effects it can ultimately have on leaders and their governments,” authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat wrote in the New York Times.

She describes a pattern where leaders remove themselves from advice and feedback from experts, and then “double down and engage in even riskier behavior.” They also surround themselves with ‘loyalists who praise them and party functionaries who repeat their lies.’

Trump doesn’t accept criticism well

Trump does have several documented clashes with media outlets and critics throughout his career and time in the office.

In September 2025, after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! following controversy surrounding comments Kimmel made about the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Trump suggested television networks critical of him could face consequences.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One following a visit to the UK, Trump complained about what he described as overwhelmingly negative coverage.

“I have read some place that the networks were 97% against me,” he said.

“They give me only bad publicity and press. I mean, they’re getting a licence. I would think maybe their licence should be taken away.”

Trump also suggested any potential action would be a matter for FCC chairman Brendan Carr. Legal experts and free speech advocates criticized the remarks, noting that US law does not allow broadcast licenses to be revoked simply because of negative political coverage.

Kimmel’s suspension proved temporary. After backlash and internal discussions, Disney later announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would return to air.

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