Many historians, political scientists, and worried observers have cited Donald Trump’s vilification of the press, strong-arm tactics towards other nations, xenophobic hysterics, and the firing of FBI chief James Comey as growing evidence of an authoritarian leader.

In response to the Comey firing, Vermont senator Patrick Leahy remarked, “This is not just a scandal. The president’s actions are neither Republican nor Democratic. They’re authoritarian. This is an effort to undo the ties that bind our democratic form of government. All of us, both sides of the aisle, must now put country over party.”

The tendency to demand absolute loyalty, and to condemn an independent judiciary and celebrate police and military solutions to social problems, have long been considered key ingredients of an authoritarian regime. According to Italian historian Ruth Ben Ghiat,