Rephonic
Artwork for Autocracy in America

Autocracy in America

The Atlantic
Democracy
Autocracy
Ukraine
Putinism
Trump's Second Presidency
Kleptocracy
Political Trust
The Atlantic
Authoritarianism
Russia
Venezuela
Freedom
Iran
Huey Long
January 6th Insurrection
Trump Administration
Fascism
Birtherism
Political Polarization
Judicial Independence

Reporting on the sweeping changes unfolding in the United States, and preparing you to think about what might happen next. Subscribe now to The Atlantic to hear all 5 episodes of our latest season available immediately on January 9, 2026.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes29Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CulturePoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Autocracy in America

Latest Episodes

When heavily armed agents of the federal government arrived in Minneapolis, the people of the Twin Cities responded with surprising strength.

In this episode, residents describe what drove them to act, and host Anne Applebaum speaks with Atlantic co... more

YouTube

The Trump White House is changing the rules of our political system through intimidation, the distortion of information, financial corruption, and the dismantling of government offices. In the final episode of this season, we examine whether the admi... more

YouTube

Kathleen Walters was only 23 days away from qualifying for early retirement at the IRS when she decided to quit, rather than acquiesce to a Trump-administration request that she break the law and compromise millions of people’s privacy. She’s one of ... more

YouTube

Joan Brugge has worked for nearly 50 years as a cancer scientist, studying the earliest signs that someone might become sick. Then the Trump administration canceled her lab’s funding. The administration’s attacks on medicine, culture, and education—w... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Stacey Abrams
Voting rights advocate, founder of Fair Fight, former gubernatorial candidate in Georgia
Fair Fight
Episode: Elections Distorted
Joan Brugge
Cancer researcher with nearly 50 years of experience, affected by funding cuts.
Harvard
Episode: Reality Reshaped
Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Professor of History and Italian Studies at NYU, author of 'Strongmen' which explores authoritarianism.
New York University
Episode: Reality Reshaped
Brandon LaRoque
A veteran and bar owner, victim of a crypto hack
Episode: Crypto Corruption
Molly White
Software engineer and researcher, writes about crypto
Episode: Crypto Corruption
George Retes Jr.
25-year-old U.S. citizen and veteran from Ventura, California who shares his experience with ICE
Episode: ICE and the National Guard Are Acting with Impunity
Margiela Herron
Expert from the Brennan Center for Justice who discusses ICE's treatment of citizens and immigrants.
Brennan Center for Justice
Episode: ICE and the National Guard Are Acting with Impunity
Liza Goitein
Expert from the Brennan Center who provides insights on the military's use domestically.
Brennan Center for Justice
Episode: ICE and the National Guard Are Acting with Impunity
William McRaven
Former Navy Admiral and commander of the operation that killed Osama Bin Laden
University of Texas at Austin
Episode: The Admiral

Hosts

Anne Applebaum
Host with extensive involvement in coverage of autocracy, democracy, and policy analysis; affiliated with The Atlantic.
Garry Kasparov
Co-host and renowned chess grandmaster; engages on democracy, autocracy, and policy with political and international focus.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 2k ratings
  • Excellent!

    Well crafted show with a variety of viewpoints. I have enjoyed all three seasons of this show and hope that they continue to create new episodes. Both Anne Applebaum and Garry Kasparov are intelligent and thoughtful hosts n

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ca from LA in Pa
    United States2 months ago
  • Frank Luntz

    The bitterness started with Newt Gingrich. He made the Democrats the enemy & the republicans went along with it. They loved it too! Disgraceful!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Humanity is
    United States2 months ago
  • Anne makes it understandable

    For years, Anne and Gary have made sense from the outside, how things really are. So grateful. G

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Roman Kaze
    United States2 months ago
  • Crypto

    I don’t understand Why didn’t Brandon use a bank?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Che Block
    United States2 months ago
  • Essential learning

    Thank you, Anne, for your relentless reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    slowdowngrl
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, well-structured discussions with expert guests.
High-quality questions and rigorous analysis, though some episodes polarize depending on guest.
Listeners praise clarity and breadth of viewpoints, with occasional critiques about guest selection or framing.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#139
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#121
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#144
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#122
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#172
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#225
France/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Elections Distorted
Q: How should listeners think about the defense of democracy, given these many strands of action?
Listeners should recognize that democracy is affected at every level of government and that a localized response, involving increased community engagement and participation, is necessary to combat authoritarianism.
Elections Distorted
Q: Stacey, what do you make of Dawn's story?
Dawn's experience illustrates the barriers faced by voters, particularly how her vote was challenged despite having met all requirements; this is indicative of broader suppression tactics.
American Democracy Under Occupation
Q: Did the protesters win?
Yes, there was a victory as public outcry influenced the withdrawal of some federal agents and changed narratives around their actions.
American Democracy Under Occupation
Q: How do you understand Minnesota within the context of these other moments and movements?
Robert Worth observed that Minnesota is showing unique community resilience against federal agents that echoes historical global protests.
Rise of the Trump Loyalist
Q: Is the current administration adhering to the Civil Service Reform Act?
Neither in spirit nor in the letter of the law is the current administration adhering to this act, marking a significant attack on the civil service system.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Autocracy in America

What is Autocracy in America about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Conversations center on defending democracy, authoritarianism, and the political and social impacts of policy choices in the United States and Europe. Episodes frequently feature high-profile policymakers, journalists, and academics who dissect civil service integrity, voting rights, science funding, national security, and transatlantic perspectives on freedom and governance. The show stands out for its rigorous, expert-led discussions with guests spanning government, academia, journalism, and tech, often tying current events to historical context and international comparisons. This mix makes it a strong fit for listeners who want thoughtful analysis and diverse viewpoints on democracy, policy, and global affairs, with a steady focus on pra... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Autocracy in America?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Autocracy in America. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Autocracy in America and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Autocracy in America get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Autocracy in America, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Autocracy in America?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Autocracy in America, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Autocracy in America have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Autocracy in America has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Autocracy in America?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Autocracy in America:

1. The David Frum Show
2. Radio Atlantic
3. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. The Bulwark Podcast

How many episodes of Autocracy in America are there?

Autocracy in America launched 2 years ago and published 29 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Autocracy in America?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Autocracy in America?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Autocracy in America from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Autocracy in America?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Autocracy in America. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Autocracy in America?

Recent guests on Autocracy in America include:

1. Stacey Abrams
2. Joan Brugge
3. Ruth Ben-Ghiat
4. Brandon LaRoque
5. Molly White
6. George Retes Jr.
7. Margiela Herron
8. Liza Goitein

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days