Three Peas In A Pod: Plunging The World Into Cruelty, Chaos and Inhumanity

Never in a million years did I think an American president would ever be compared and/or similar to known world authoritarians. And yet, here we are.

Three leaders on three continents are deploying remarkably similar tactics to consolidate power—and the world is paying the price. Trump, Putin and Netanyahu are quickly dissolving trust in all forms of democracy.

The Pattern Emerges

When Vladimir Putin signed legislation in 2020 allowing him to rule until 2036, when Benjamin Netanyahu pushed through judicial reforms to limit oversight of his government, and when Donald Trump refused to commit to accepting the 2020 election results, observers noted something quite frightening: these weren’t isolated incidents. They were chapters in the same authoritarian handbook.

The playbook is consistent. Undermine independent institutions. Vilify the press. Embrace nationalism while dismissing international law. Cultivate loyal bases through fear and grievance. The execution varies by context, but the strategy remains strikingly similar.

📰 The War on Independent Media

All three leaders have waged sustained campaigns against journalism that challenges them.

Putin has effectively eliminated independent media in Russia. Journalists like Anna Politkovskaya and more recently, outlets opposing the Ukraine invasion, have been silenced through murder, imprisonment, or forced closure. Calling the invasion a “war” became a criminal offense.

Trump repeatedly labeled mainstream media “the enemy of the people” during his presidency—language historically associated with authoritarian regimes. He revoked press credentials, promoted conspiracy theories, and maintained that any negative coverage was “fake news.” This rhetoric culminated in supporters attacking journalists during the January 6 Capitol riot.

Netanyahu’s government has targeted Al Jazeera, shutting down its operations in Israel and raiding its Jerusalem offices in 2024. His coalition has also pursued legislation to weaken public broadcasting and has maintained hostile relationships with Haaretz and other critical Israeli publications.

The pattern? Delegitimize information sources that might hold power accountable.

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⚖️ Attacking Judicial Independence

Perhaps nowhere is the similarity clearer than in their approach to courts and legal systems.

Netanyahu’s 2023 judicial overhaul attempted to give his government power to override Supreme Court decisions—a move that triggered unprecedented protests across Israel. The reforms came as Netanyahu faced corruption charges, raising obvious questions about motivations. Critics called it a fundamental assault on Israeli democracy’s checks and balances.

Putin long ago subordinated Russia’s judiciary to executive power. Courts reliably rule in the Kremlin’s favor, particularly in cases involving political opponents. Alexei Navalny’s multiple imprisonments on questionable charges exemplified this weaponization of the legal system—a process that ended with his death in prison in February 2024.

Trump’s approach differed in execution but not in intent. He appointed judges based primarily on loyalty expectations, pressured the Justice Department to investigate political opponents, and explicitly called for prosecution of critics. After leaving office, he has repeatedly argued for presidential immunity from all criminal prosecution—a position that would place executives above the law entirely.

🌍 Dismissing International Law and Norms

Each leader has demonstrated contempt for international legal frameworks when they prove inconvenient.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine represents the most flagrant violation of international law since World War II—an act of territorial aggression that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in 2023 for war crimes related to the deportation of Ukrainian children.

Netanyahu’s prosecution of the Gaza war has drawn widespread international condemnation. The death toll has exceeded 40,000, with humanitarian organizations documenting the destruction of civilian infrastructure, hospitals, and refugee camps. The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to prevent genocide and ensure humanitarian access—orders largely unheeded.

Trump withdrew from multiple international agreements during his presidency, including the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate accord. He pardoned military contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians and suggested the U.S. might not honor NATO commitments—undermining the very alliances that have maintained relative peace since 1945.

The message from all three: international law applies to others, not to us.

👥 The Cult of Personality

Each has cultivated intensely loyal bases that view criticism of the leader as attacks on the nation itself.

Putin’s image as Russia’s protector against Western decadence is carefully constructed through state media. Dissent equals betrayal.

Trump’s MAGA movement operates with similar devotion, dismissing his legal troubles as persecution and viewing him as uniquely capable of saving America from undefined threats.

Netanyahu positions himself as Israel’s only guarantor of security, suggesting that removing him from power would endanger the nation—even as former military and intelligence leaders argue the opposite.

💔 The Human Cost

The consequences extend far beyond political theory.

In Ukraine, cities have been reduced to rubble. Families have been separated. War crimes investigations document torture and mass graves.

In Gaza, humanitarian catastrophe unfolds daily. Children comprise a significant portion of casualties. Access to food, water, and medical care remains severely restricted.

In America, democratic institutions show unprecedented strain. Political violence has increased. Faith in elections has eroded among large segments of the population.

The Stakes

What connects these three figures isn’t ideology in the traditional sense. Putin isn’t exporting communism. Netanyahu isn’t building a religious theocracy. Trump isn’t advancing a coherent political philosophy.

What they share is something more fundamental: the belief that they personally embody their nations’ interests, that institutions constraining their power must be weakened, and that ends justify means. They’ve recognized that democratic norms depend on voluntary compliance, and they’ve chosen not to comply.

The damage compounds. Each success emboldens others. Each erosion of norms makes the next erosion easier.

Understanding this pattern matters because it clarifies what we’re witnessing: not isolated political controversies, but a coordinated assault on the post-World War II international order and the democratic principles underpinning it.

The question isn’t whether we notice the similarities. It’s whether we’ll respond before the authoritarian playbook becomes the only game in town.

So What’s The Answer? Fight!

• Call your senator and remind them to vote no on war funding and the SAVE ACT
• Sign up and go to your local No Kings rally on Saturday: indivisible.org/
• Keep telling your personal stories to your neighbors.

Onward,