A Chess Grandmaster Warns: He Can See Trump's Next Moves — And It Terrifies Him

Garry Kasparov Warns of Trump’s Threat to American Democracy

Garry Kasparov, a Russian chess grandmaster often considered the greatest player in history, has issued a dire warning about the potential threat posed by former U.S. President Donald Trump to American democracy. According to Kasparov, who chairs the Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI), he can foresee Trump’s next moves and believes they could have serious consequences for the nation’s democratic foundations.

Kasparov shared his concerns with independent journalist Ben Cohen, writing for his anti-extremism Substack The Banter. He founded RDI after leaving Russia, where the country’s brief democratic period gradually gave way to authoritarianism under President Vladimir Putin. Kasparov’s experiences in Russia have made him acutely aware of the dangers of authoritarian rule.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Kasparov observed that Trump was able to challenge the core principles of American democracy. “It's not coded by laws, it's about traditions,” Kasparov told Cohen. “Nobody ever did it. These kinds of arguments never worked against Donald Trump.”

In his first term, Trump largely surrounded himself with traditional Republicans who believed in American democracy, which limited the damage he could do. However, in his second term, Trump has aligned himself with loyalists who prioritize pleasing him over upholding the Constitution and the rule of law.

Despite these developments and Trump’s attempts to undermine elections and silence opponents, Kasparov warned that many Americans do not take the threat seriously. “I was born and raised in the Soviet Union, so I know what the KGB is, not from books but from personal experience,” he said. “I fought Vladimir Putin in a Russia that was accelerating on the way to becoming another KGB dictatorship.”

Kasparov also highlighted the growing climate of nihilism and tribalism in the U.S. “The biggest threat is coming from the far right, because Trump is in power,” he said. “But it's very important that this my-tribe feeling does not overrule the Constitution.”

Kasparov has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration. Last year, he expressed concern over media companies capitulating to Trump’s demands. He pointed out that comedians like Stephen Colbert faced backlash for criticizing Trump, while others, like Jimmy Kimmel, were targeted for their views. Additionally, news outlets such as ABC News and CBS News settled lawsuits brought by Trump, and media CEOs like Jeff Bezos from The Washington Post were influenced by his demands.

“Elections and the rule of law don't matter if you don't believe in them,” Kasparov argued. He noted that even with Trump’s low approval ratings, his targets felt they couldn’t rely on democratic resistance.

In 2019, Kasparov drew parallels between Trump’s rise to power and the authoritarianism he opposed in the Soviet Union. “My new home finds itself locked in its own perilous battle: a battle to avoid becoming the latest member of the post-truth world,” he said.

Kasparov described how Trump and his supporters attempt to shift the debate into an alternate universe where truth is whatever they say it is. “Trump repeats the same lies over and over, and it’s hard to say which is more troubling: that his followers don’t realize that they are lies or that they don’t care,” he explained.

He also highlighted the impact of globalization and the internet on the spread of information. “Now, we’re experiencing a counterattack: the regionalization of truth,” Kasparov said.

Key Points from Kasparov’s Warnings

• Authoritarian Parallels: Kasparov draws comparisons between Trump’s actions and the authoritarian regimes he has encountered, including the Soviet Union.
• Tribalism and Nihilism: He warns about the growing sense of tribalism and the erosion of constitutional values in the U.S.
• Media Influence: Kasparov criticizes the media’s response to Trump, noting that some outlets have capitulated to his demands.
• Rule of Law: He emphasizes the importance of upholding the Constitution and the rule of law, regardless of political affiliations.
• Post-Truth World: Kasparov highlights the challenges of navigating a world where truth is increasingly subjective and manipulated.

Kasparov’s insights serve as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers facing American democracy. His warnings, rooted in his experiences with authoritarianism, underscore the need for vigilance and a commitment to democratic principles.