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Dear John,

As per the standard Friday routine, here’s an update on what’s going on across the pond. The US election is now under two weeks out – just 11 days away.

Donald Trump Isn’t Even Trying to Hide It

With more than 30 million votes already cast either by mail or via early voting, the 2024 Presidential Election is well underway. As the two candidates make their final appeals to the American public, the race still seems to be a toss-up.

Even by Trump’s standards, his campaign has grown increasingly erratic over the past several weeks. He’s been spreading damaging conspiracies about migrants and hurricanes, teasing out bizarre last-second policy proposals (such as abolishing federal income tax entirely and replacing it with “tariffs ([link removed]) ” – a sure-fire way to crash the US economy practically overnight), and toying with silencing media outlets he doesn’t like.

He’s accused the Labour party of “election interference,” referencing the (frankly inconsequential) meetings held between Democratic and Labour party staff over recent months. A bold claim from someone who just got his tech-bro pal Elon Musk to offer up millions ([link removed]) to Trump voters – the same tech-bro pal who’s reportedly been having regular meetings with Vladimir Putin.

The former President has always had a fascination with authoritarian strongmen, from North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un ([link removed]) to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán ([link removed]) . This week, he’s alleged to have indicated that he wants to command “German generals” like those of Adolf Hitler.

Add that on top of what we already know. He’s indicated he’d be a “dictator” on day one. He’s talked about replacing the federal bureaucracy with partisan ideologues. He’s threatened to unleash the US military on his left-wing political opponents. He’s said that “this could be thelast election ([link removed]) we ever have”. One of his former aides has warned that he’d govern like a “fascist.”

For eight years now, Trump has shown us who he is and what he stands for. American democracy is far from perfect as it stands, but the former President is now threatening to ditch the guard rails – the constitutional checks and balances on our politics – entirely.

For all of us across the pond, what happens in eleven days is going to be massively consequential. Trump threatens to boost our own nativist authoritarians at home, and our flimsy democratic safeguards are not likely to fare any better. Even if he loses, we can expect chaos at the polls and a massive wave of election denial – surely to be amplified here in Britain by the likes of Nigel Farage.

In other US Election News:
* Rumours are swirling about a highly damaging video tape of Donald Trump potentially leaked to the press that may appear this weekend – though at this point its unlikely to sway the result;
* Harris held a campaign event last night with Bruce Springsteen, who labeled Trump a “tyrant”;
* Given how close this race is, fears are mounting about a contested result (as occurred in 2001). Experts warn ([link removed]) it could exacerbate the US’ political polarisation.

That’s it for this week.

All the best,

Matt Gallagher

Communications Officer

Open Britain
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