[MSL]

About the Donald Trump's Legitimization of the Dictators around the world

by Geser Kurultaev

Trump’s behavior emboldens dictators, weakens democratic alliances, and erodes the moral authority of the United States on the world stage. In seeking to appear strong, cool and so on, Trump instead weakened the democratic base that once made the US one of the examples for the free world.
Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy has repeatedly blurred the line between diplomacy and the dangerous legitimization of authoritarian power. Throughout his presidency and beyond, Trump has expressed open admiration for neofeudal type of dictators (which I call "neomonarchs") such as Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Viktor Orbán — dictators known for their suppression of dissent, manipulation of elections (if there are any!) , and systematic erosion of democratic norms (if there were any) . By treating these figures as equals or even role models, Trump undermined decades of American commitment to democracy (even though sort of bipartisan) and human rights.
His praise for Putin, for instance, went far beyond strategic engagement; it bordered on endorsement of a regime that murders critics and destabilizes neighbors via neoimperialistic politics. Trump’s warm words for Xi Jinping, calling him a “brilliant guy” who “runs China with an iron fist,” similarly signal approval of authoritarian efficiency over democratic accountability. His unprecedented summit with Kim Jong Un — marked more by spectacle than substance — provided the North Korean dictator with the global legitimacy he had long sought, without extracting any meaningful concessions on nuclear disarmament or human rights.
In Erdoğan and Orbán, Trump saw ideological allies who validated his own disdain for checks and balances, media scrutiny, and judicial independence. By celebrating these "leaders" , he not only normalized their autocratic methods but also suggested that the erosion of liberal democracy is compatible with “strong leadership.”
It's something that all of the freedom valuing people have to worry about.