Sep 29, 2026 · 1h 17m
Listen from 22:16
Listen at 22:16
Authoritarian power faces pressure in Washington and Moscow
Amanda Carpenter and Evan Gershkovich: Trump's and Putin's Authoritarian Projects
The episode connects threats to democratic accountability in the United States with the personal and political costs of repression in Russia.
- 1Trump’s election claims and executive-power theories remain dangerous even as parts of his governing machinery falter.
- 2Evan Gershkovich describes how Russia fabricated his espionage case and used his imprisonment as a bargaining instrument.
- 3Both conversations reject complacency about authoritarianism, whether it appears through state repression or democratic personality cults.
Don't miss
Gershkovich describes the calculated conditions of his 500-day imprisonment and the guilt of knowing he was more likely to be exchanged than many fellow prisoners.
The brief
Tim Miller and Amanda Carpenter argue that Trump’s election-fraud campaign and executive-power ambitions remain dangerous, even as weak databases, departures, and political failures expose limits in the administration’s machinery.
Their discussion turns to congressional oversight, appropriations, alleged corruption, and impeachment, asking whether lawmakers can constrain executive power when officials obstruct investigations and refuse accountability.
Evan Gershkovich recounts his arrest in Russia, a fabricated espionage case, and 500 days in Lefortovo prison, where authorities maintained legal theater while treating him as a bargaining chip.
After release, Gershkovich describes the difficulty of recovering ordinary life and processing trauma, while explaining how repression has narrowed the space for Western journalism in Russia.
The episode closes by resisting easy theories about Russia or its people, linking Putin’s authoritarianism to the broader danger of political loyalty, charisma, and democratic complacency.
What was said on this episode
29 statements · 5 positive · 21 negative · 3 neutral
Trump administration efforts to establish election-fraud pretexts have not worked so far.
“None of that has worked so far.”
Listen at 5:39
The SAVE database mandate has largely failed.
“The SAVE database that they've tried to get everyone to use on a mandatory basis has largely flopped”
Listen at 5:44
Naturalized citizens face the greatest risk of false election-registration flags.
“the people most at risk for being flagged on this falsely are naturalized citizens”
Listen at 5:57
The administration’s election-related plans are failing spectacularly.
“their plans are failing spectacularly.”
Listen at 7:52
Trump officials want an election-fraud pretext to potentially seize voting machines.
“they very much want this pretext so that they can go raid voting machines potentially”
Listen at 9:21
Trump’s 2025 project is failing broadly.
“the whole Trump 2025 project is going down the tubes.”
Listen at 11:53
Trump’s retribution officials left without prosecuting their intended targets.
“They have no case. They have left without prosecuting anyone.”
Listen at 12:25
Trump’s presidency should be branded as the worst ever seen.
“I think we really need to start branding this presidency as the worst one we've ever seen”
Listen at 13:00
The administration is failing across its stated goals.
“I am trying to generously think of one thing that they are succeeding at”
Listen at 14:54
Trump-linked investors stand to profit from Pentagon-backed loans for unproven projects.
“they stand to make a lot of money because the Pentagon budget is gone and big on the loans.”
Listen at 16:55
The government-financed projects are a scam.
“it's a scam.”
Listen at 17:08
Trump’s ballroom spending is illegal.
“this is illegal spending.”
Listen at 17:43
Clark Construction is illegally working on property Trump does not own.
“they're doing illegal work on property that Trump does not own.”
Listen at 18:37
Russ Vought cannot override Congress and redirect appropriated funds at will.
“he thinks that he can override Congress and redirect the money however he would like to do it. That is not true.”
Listen at 20:43
The ballroom architect quit over health and safety concerns involving a fire hazard.
“the architect quit because of health and safety standards because there is a fire hazard.”
Listen at 21:53
Congress should investigate stolen money and identify those responsible.
“you have to investigate like you do have to do the fact finding exercise of finding where the stolen money is, who is responsible for taking it.”
Listen at 24:10
Congress must litigate to defend its spending power.
“Congress does have to go to court to defend its spending power”
Listen at 25:08
Corruption investigations will occupy Congress for two to four years.
“I think it's going to keep Congress busy for the next 2 to 4 years.”
Listen at 26:44
Russia passed highly restrictive censorship laws after invading Ukraine.
“it passed these really draconian censorship laws.”
Listen at 35:52
The FSB fulfills Putin’s orders.
“when Putin gives an order to his domestic intelligence service, the FSB, they fulfill that request.”
Listen at 39:22
Western journalists remaining in Russia are increasingly self-censoring.
“The people that are there are, you know, putting more handbrakes on. They're sort of censoring what they can do.”
Listen at 44:42
Russian courts convict approximately 99% of defendants.
“only 99% of people are guilty”
Listen at 52:18
Putin’s continued rule sustains Russia’s repression.
“while he's alive and in power, the, the, the logic of continued repression is in place”
Listen at 1:02:27
Russian authoritarian paranoia deepens over time under Putin.
“the paranoia deepens with time.”
Listen at 1:02:41
Russia could eventually reopen politically after Putin.
“I don't think it's impossible.”
Listen at 1:04:08
Trump’s orbit is likely a counterintelligence nightmare for U.S. authorities.
“I assume as much as you do that it's a counterintelligence nightmare.”
Listen at 1:05:05
Shadow spy wars between Russia and the West are increasing.
“these kind of shadow spy wars really increase.”
Listen at 1:07:05
Russian people should not be treated as inherently different or authoritarian.
“People are people. You can't essentialize them.”
Listen at 1:13:11
Russia’s political culture can change despite possible cultural rot.
“Again, maybe it's cultural rot, but it can change, right? It can change in a different way.”
Listen at 1:13:28
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Books & mentions
This Cursed Beautiful Land: A Russian Story
Gershkovich’s memoir expands the episode’s account of reporting, repression, captivity, and Russia’s political culture.
Everything Was Forever Until It's No More
Alexei Yurchak’s study offers context for the episode’s discussion of Soviet legacies and Russia’s political transformation.