How does the work of authoritarian leaders influence the state of U.S. democracy?

By Evan Dawson,

Megan Mack

Published March 21, 2024 at 5:05 PM EDT

A woman with auburn hair, a dangling earring, and a black jacket, smiling at the camera — Valery Perry

When former president Donald Trump hosted Viktor Orbán at his Florida resort earlier this month, he showered the Hungarian prime minister with praise. “There’s nobody that’s better, smarter or a better leader than Viktor Orbán. He’s fantastic,” Trump told a crowd.

This hour, we discuss the implications of Trump’s admiration for authoritarian leaders like Orbán and what it means for the state of democracy.

Our guest is an expert in democratization policy:

Valery Perry, Ph.D., senior associate for the Democratization Policy Council

Connections

Evan Dawson

Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.

See stories by Evan Dawson

Megan Mack

Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.

See stories by Megan Mack