Μake us preferred on Google As Americans prepare to vote in the November 3 midterm elections, FT chief economics commentator Martin Wolf asks what the result will mean for Donald Trump, the future of US democracy and America’s place in the world. In the first of a six-part series of interviews with leading historians and political analysts, Martin speaks to the scholar and former Republican adviser Robert Kagan, who has spent a decade warning about Trump’s authoritarian ambitions.
They discuss how Trump has accumulated so much power, whether America’s democratic institutions can still constrain him and what might happen if Republicans lose control of Congress. Could these elections mark a turning point for American democracy or has the country already gone too far down the road towards authoritarianism?
To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to Martin Wolf on the World wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch Martin’s podcast series on the FT’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinancialTimes
Link To FT.com: https://www.ft.com/content/747f16db-17fd-49d0-b109-981274333feb
Host: Martin Wolf
Producer: Mischa Frankl-Duval
Senior Producer: Laurence Knight
Executive Producer: Manuela Saragosa
Video Editor: Richard Topping
Audio engineering: Breen Turner
Broadcast engineers: Andrew Georgiades
Podcast development: Laura Clarke
FT Global Head of Audio: Flo Phillips
Learn more at www.ft.com/martin-wolf-on-the-world
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2026
© 2026 The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved. Please do not copy and paste FT articles and redistribute by email or post to the web.
