I’ve watched the slide into authoritarianism before

Dear reader,

Turn on the television news in the United States today and you'll find the familiar cycle of talking heads, polling coverage and political gossip – even as the White House takes unprecedented action to end the international postwar order, potentially expel millions of people and shock the global economy through tariffs.

It’s at moments like these that I am particularly thankful to report on US foreign policy for the Guardian, where our global perspective allows us to show our readers how transformative – and transgressive – the past few months have been.

As a former international correspondent with first-hand experience of authoritarian regimes, I believe no journalist can afford to downplay what is happening in the United States right now.

Before coming to Washington, I spent 12 years in Russia, reporting on the war in Ukraine from its outbreak in 2014 to Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion in 2022.

I met decision-makers in Russia and frontline soldiers, interviewed dissidents and insiders, and continued to report for nearly a year even as Russia censored, surveilled and even arrested members of the media.

My experience in Russia has given me a singular perspective on how countries can slip further into authoritarianism: there are warning signs, like when sources go quiet over fear of prosecution or leaders begin to contemplate doing away with term limits. When ordinary people begin to think: it's all just politics and fake news.

I’m seeing those signs appear here in the US now – and feel that transparent, independent reporting is imperative for protecting our democracy. Please support us now to help fund this work: a small, recurring contribution to sustain our reporting would be the most impactful way to do so.

At the Guardian, we report with unequivocal candor when this administration’s actions threaten democracy: whether it’s the president extorting allies like Ukraine in exchange for military support – or contemplating annexing Canada and Greenland; be it surrogates like JD Vance and Elon Musk meddling in European politics and supporting far-right parties like the AfD in Germany; senior officials accidentally leaking war plans on Signal and then turning around and blaming the media; or the US deporting immigrants without due process.

We rely on readers’ support to keep covering the news in this direct way. If you believe in what we do, but haven’t been able to contribute before, perhaps now – and the scale of these threats – make it the right time.

Our unique perspective is underpinned by the fact that we are lucky to have millions of readers like you around the globe, readers who want to better understand how decisions made in the United States are shaping the world beyond.

So whether you are able to support us today or not: thank you for reading.

Cheers,
Andrew

Become a supporter and get: