Yale history professor Timothy Snyder on Wednesday broke down how Russian President Vladimir Putin is using former US President Donald Trump’s mounting legal woes to maintain his grip on power.
Snyder, an expert on authoritarianism, explained to MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell how Soviet and Russian dictators have forever searched for examples from US life that could tarnish America’s image with Russian citizens.
Putin this week said the multiple legal cases against Trump are the “persecution of a political rival.”
Snyder explained Putin’s motive:
“What Putin is trying to do fundamentally is say, ‘Everyone is as bad as us. The rule of law is a joke everywhere. America is no better than Russia.’ That is his fundamental line. He wants to think that there is no freedom, there’s no democracy, there’s nothing to value anywhere.”
Russia “really would like” Trump to win the 2024 election, added Snyder, because they believe it would “seriously weaken” America and Trump would allow them to win their war in Ukraine.