Robert Benson
@robertbenson92.bsky.social
D Phil, Free University Berlin; Berlin Social Science Center; Consultant OECD Paris; Analyst Center for American Progress (CAP). World Traveler.
Trump’s new sanctions finally target the heart of Russia’s war machine, but only aggressive, disciplined enforcement will decide whether they actually bite. I walk you through what needs to happen: www.americanprogress.org/article/trum...
Trump’s Sanctions on Russia Are Serious—Enforcement Will Decide Whether They Work
President Trump’s new sanctions finally target the heart of Russia’s war machine, but only aggressive, disciplined enforcement will decide whether they actually bite.
www.americanprogress.org
November 18, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Trump’s new sanctions finally target the heart of Russia’s war machine, but only aggressive, disciplined enforcement will decide whether they actually bite. I walk you through what needs to happen: www.americanprogress.org/article/trum...
International lessons on how to re-build democracy.
🗳️ Today, the threat to #democracy often comes from ruling parties who rewrite constitutions, normalise #disinformation & exploit resentment
In this week's ProgPage, @robertbenson92.bsky.social outlines some lessons for progressives to win & govern w/ purpose
🗞️ feps-europe.eu/how-progress...
In this week's ProgPage, @robertbenson92.bsky.social outlines some lessons for progressives to win & govern w/ purpose
🗞️ feps-europe.eu/how-progress...
November 14, 2025 at 1:31 PM
International lessons on how to re-build democracy.
My think piece on Trump, Europe, and global re ordering after the trade deal.
www.politico.eu/article/us-e...
www.politico.eu/article/us-e...
The Turnberry trap: Trump, Europe and global reordering
The bloc’s challenge isn’t to restore the old transatlantic bargain but to build a new one before the next crisis hits.
www.politico.eu
September 3, 2025 at 1:09 PM
My think piece on Trump, Europe, and global re ordering after the trade deal.
www.politico.eu/article/us-e...
www.politico.eu/article/us-e...
Reposted by Robert Benson
Putin did more than eat Trump’s lunch in Alaska. He ate Trump for lunch and swallowed him whole. The losers? Ukraine, the EU, NATO, and the United States of America.
August 28, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Putin did more than eat Trump’s lunch in Alaska. He ate Trump for lunch and swallowed him whole. The losers? Ukraine, the EU, NATO, and the United States of America.
Reposted by Robert Benson
The battle of our day is no longer about Democrats versus Republicans or left versus right.
The choice right now is democracy or dictatorship. And we're sliding faster than I ever thought possible into the latter.
Everyone must choose which side they’re on.
The choice right now is democracy or dictatorship. And we're sliding faster than I ever thought possible into the latter.
Everyone must choose which side they’re on.
August 25, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The battle of our day is no longer about Democrats versus Republicans or left versus right.
The choice right now is democracy or dictatorship. And we're sliding faster than I ever thought possible into the latter.
Everyone must choose which side they’re on.
The choice right now is democracy or dictatorship. And we're sliding faster than I ever thought possible into the latter.
Everyone must choose which side they’re on.
We took a moment to unpack the Anchorage and Washington summits this week - do watch.
Watch now as I'm joined by @americanprogress.bsky.social's @robertbenson92.bsky.social to examine how #Putin steamrolled #Trump during their summit in #Alaska, with no #peace deal achieved.
youtu.be/mZHUvc0qvhM
youtu.be/mZHUvc0qvhM
No Peace Deal as Putin Steamrolls Trump
YouTube video by Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon
youtu.be
August 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
We took a moment to unpack the Anchorage and Washington summits this week - do watch.
This is hardly a light news week, but please do read: Our take at American Progress on Trump's potential Surrender Summit. www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...
The Trump-Putin Alaska Meeting: Preventing a Surrender Summit
Trump’s planned Alaska meeting with Putin risks becoming a “surrender summit” that pressures Ukraine into abandoning NATO aspirations and accepting imposed neutrality, rewarding Russian aggression.
www.americanprogress.org
August 12, 2025 at 8:07 PM
This is hardly a light news week, but please do read: Our take at American Progress on Trump's potential Surrender Summit. www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...
Firing the chief labor statistician isn’t just a scandal—it echoes the early warning signs from Argentina, Turkey, and the Soviet Union, where gutting independent economic institutions paved the way for autocracy and economic collapse. We’ve seen this movie before. It doesn't end well.
Businesses and entrepreneurs as well as families can’t make good plans based on junk information. It may be possible to ignore the impact in the short run, but in the long run this will lead to slower growth and quite possibly a major financial crisis.
August 4, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Firing the chief labor statistician isn’t just a scandal—it echoes the early warning signs from Argentina, Turkey, and the Soviet Union, where gutting independent economic institutions paved the way for autocracy and economic collapse. We’ve seen this movie before. It doesn't end well.
This was an excruciating read. Torture and rape facilitated by the US government. Unconscionable crimes.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
‘Welcome to hell’: Inside the megaprison where the U.S. deported migrants
Interviews with 16 former detainees of El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center offer the most complete view yet of conditions inside the notorious prison.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM
This was an excruciating read. Torture and rape facilitated by the US government. Unconscionable crimes.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
The window is closing to stop Putin: my latest. www.americanprogress.org/article/amer...
America’s Window To Stop Russia Is Closing
Trump’s hasty ultimatum and symbolic tariffs will not deter Putin; only rapid weapons deliveries and enforceable energy sanctions can shift the battlefield and force Moscow to meaningfully negotiate, ...
www.americanprogress.org
August 1, 2025 at 3:29 PM
The window is closing to stop Putin: my latest. www.americanprogress.org/article/amer...
Do join!
Join CAP on July 15th for a critical dialogue on what it takes to defend democracy. www.americanprogress.org/events/democ...
@robertbenson92.bsky.social will be moderating a discussion with @katalincseh.bsky.social, Tamara Tripić, @ceylanakca.bsky.social, & @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social.
@robertbenson92.bsky.social will be moderating a discussion with @katalincseh.bsky.social, Tamara Tripić, @ceylanakca.bsky.social, & @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social.
Democracy on the Line: Global Lessons on Countering Authoritarianism
Join the Center for American Progress for a critical conversation on what it takes to defend democracy.
www.americanprogress.org
July 11, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Do join!
Some thoughts on what we can expect at next week's NATO summit: hint, Trump may be itching for a fight.
www.americanprogress.org/article/nato...
www.americanprogress.org/article/nato...
June 20, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Some thoughts on what we can expect at next week's NATO summit: hint, Trump may be itching for a fight.
www.americanprogress.org/article/nato...
www.americanprogress.org/article/nato...
Reposted by Robert Benson
We're going to see quite a split screen today:
Millions protesting peacefully in defense of democracy, and a would-be dictator ordering tanks to tear up DC streets to make him feel powerful.
It's obvious what the right side is. Be on it.
Millions protesting peacefully in defense of democracy, and a would-be dictator ordering tanks to tear up DC streets to make him feel powerful.
It's obvious what the right side is. Be on it.
June 14, 2025 at 12:14 PM
We're going to see quite a split screen today:
Millions protesting peacefully in defense of democracy, and a would-be dictator ordering tanks to tear up DC streets to make him feel powerful.
It's obvious what the right side is. Be on it.
Millions protesting peacefully in defense of democracy, and a would-be dictator ordering tanks to tear up DC streets to make him feel powerful.
It's obvious what the right side is. Be on it.
Reposted by Robert Benson
Israel bombing Iran in the middle of US diplomacy is an astonishing and totally unnecessary escalation and humiliating for Trump who said he was ending wars.
June 13, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Israel bombing Iran in the middle of US diplomacy is an astonishing and totally unnecessary escalation and humiliating for Trump who said he was ending wars.
Authoritarians’ early popularity can delay resistance — but that’s when the real damage gets done. My piece for Politico.
www.politico.eu/article/demo...
www.politico.eu/article/demo...
Democratic backsliding in Europe holds lessons for America
Authoritarians’ early popularity can delay resistance — but that’s when the real damage gets done.
www.politico.eu
April 24, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Authoritarians’ early popularity can delay resistance — but that’s when the real damage gets done. My piece for Politico.
www.politico.eu/article/demo...
www.politico.eu/article/demo...
Fourth Circuit opinion: make this go viral.
The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order....
The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order....
April 17, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Fourth Circuit opinion: make this go viral.
The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order....
The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order....
Reposted by Robert Benson
The same patterns of systemic corruption, democratic backsliding, & economic exploitation that have marred other parts of the world are now happening in the U.S. New from @robertbenson92.bsky.social:
How State Capture and Corruption Harms Citizens: Lessons From Abroad
Examples from abroad serve as prescient warnings that corruption and state capture erode services, impoverish societies, and compromise public safety.
www.americanprogress.org
April 17, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The same patterns of systemic corruption, democratic backsliding, & economic exploitation that have marred other parts of the world are now happening in the U.S. New from @robertbenson92.bsky.social:
We’re not in a good place.
President Trump’s return to power has brought a renewed assault on our democratic institutions. How can we defend our democracy against authoritarianism?
@robertbenson92.bsky.social on how we can, and must, continue to fight: www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...
@robertbenson92.bsky.social on how we can, and must, continue to fight: www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...
April 16, 2025 at 4:09 PM
We’re not in a good place.
Examples from abroad serve as prescient warnings that corruption and state capture erode services, impoverish societies, and compromise public safety.
www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...
www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...
How State Capture and Corruption Harms Citizens: Lessons From Abroad
Examples from abroad serve as prescient warnings that corruption and state capture erode services, impoverish societies, and compromise public safety.
www.americanprogress.org
April 16, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Examples from abroad serve as prescient warnings that corruption and state capture erode services, impoverish societies, and compromise public safety.
www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...
www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...
Last week may be remembered as the true, quantifiable beginning of the end of American economic exceptionalism. Terrifying. on.ft.com/4cuKN3T
America the Unstable
The US will pay a market penalty for Trump’s turmoil
on.ft.com
April 13, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Last week may be remembered as the true, quantifiable beginning of the end of American economic exceptionalism. Terrifying. on.ft.com/4cuKN3T
Rarely have I come across such a perfect crystallization of the difference between American and European thinking—one that I’m increasingly convinced will lead to U.S. disaster. Quote below from the FTs Big Read.
Financial TimesFinancial Times
News, analysis and opinion from the Financial Times on the latest in markets, economics and politics
FT.com
April 12, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Rarely have I come across such a perfect crystallization of the difference between American and European thinking—one that I’m increasingly convinced will lead to U.S. disaster. Quote below from the FTs Big Read.
Take a look at our new CAP report on threats to democracy abroad and what lessons can be derived here at home.
President Trump’s return to power has brought a renewed assault on U.S. democratic institutions, from the politicization of law enforcement to threats against judicial independence. @robertbenson92.bsky.social offers a road map to counter these threats:
How Democracies Defend Themselves Against Authoritarianism
Democracies facing authoritarian threats from within have found ways to push back by strengthening institutions, reinforcing democratic norms, and building popular resistance against encroaching autocracy....
buff.ly
April 9, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Take a look at our new CAP report on threats to democracy abroad and what lessons can be derived here at home.
Can someone explain to me the absolutely mind boggling silence of elected officials over these state sanctioned kidnappings of U.S. residents.
March 28, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Can someone explain to me the absolutely mind boggling silence of elected officials over these state sanctioned kidnappings of U.S. residents.
Assaults on due process should alarm all of us. The state cannot kidnap legal U.S. residents and hand them over to third-party dictatorships for indefinite detention. What the hell are we doing? time.com/7269604/el-s...
What the Venezuelans Deported to El Salvador Experienced
Exclusive photos of the arrival of Venezuelan detainees deported from the U.S.
time.com
March 24, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Assaults on due process should alarm all of us. The state cannot kidnap legal U.S. residents and hand them over to third-party dictatorships for indefinite detention. What the hell are we doing? time.com/7269604/el-s...