Letters from an American – August 17, 2025

Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Date: August 18, 2025
Original episode and more: heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

Episode Overview

In this episode, Heather Cox Richardson examines the fallout from President Donald J. Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, focusing on the implications for both foreign and domestic policy. She unpacks Trump’s rapidly shifting stance on Ukraine, his isolation from traditional U.S. allies, and the administration’s authoritarian approach to domestic governance—including its use of military force and aggressive rhetoric. The central theme: both Trump and Putin gravely misjudge the true nature of power in democracy—at home and abroad.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump, Putin & the Fracturing of U.S. Alliances

• Alaska Summit Aftermath:

  • Trump met Putin in Anchorage (Aug 15), followed by an abrupt and unexplained end to the summit—planned events, like a luncheon, being cancelled ([00:00]).
  • On the return flight, Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff. European leaders and NATO then joined for a joint call ([00:16]).

• Trump Adopts Putin’s Position:

  • Trump tells Zelensky and allies that Putin does not want a ceasefire; Trump himself abandons his prior ceasefire demand and aligns with Putin’s stance that negotiations should happen without one.
  • Zelensky insists on a ceasefire before talks ([00:32]).
  • Trump posts on social media:

    “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement … and not a mere cease fire agreement which often does not hold up.” ([00:49])

• Optics & Unanswered Questions:

  • Media notes tense, anxious moods among the U.S. delegation; Carolyn Levitt and Steve Witkoff’s nervous demeanor is remarked upon by NBC’s Peter Alexander ([02:02]).
  • Mysterious absence of any mention of the Putin meeting on the State Department’s website ([03:05]).

2. “Misunderstanding Power in Democracy”

• Putin’s Miscalculation:
  • Heather describes Putin's longstanding theory that dividing the U.S. and its NATO allies would allow him to undermine the rules-based international order ([03:30]).
  • Trump’s alignment with Putin and growing authoritarian tendencies mark a dramatic shift from traditional U.S. foreign policy and alliances.
• Europe’s Pushback:
  • In Brussels, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen urges the West to support Ukraine and insists that borders cannot be changed by force.
  • French President Emmanuel Macron warns,

    “If we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflict.” ([04:37])

  • A “summit of allies” is organized at the White House with top European leaders accompanying Zelensky, considered indicative of crisis ([05:00]). Social media commentary from Tom Nichols suggests “something went very wrong in Alaska.”

3. Authoritarian Drift in Domestic Policy

• Radicalization & Attacks on Democracy:
  • Trump’s administration is “overseeing the takeover of the government by a radical minority,” attacking science, education, and minority groups to divide Americans ([06:00]).
  • Deployment of 700 Marines and federalization of California’s National Guard to Los Angeles after immigration protests, despite the legal restrictions of the Posse Comitatus Act ([07:30]).
  • California Governor Gavin Newsom sues to restrict use of federal troops; troops deployed during the event experience record-low retention rates, reflecting disillusionment with their role ([08:20]).
• Federal Takeover of Washington, D.C.:
  • Trump places D.C.’s police department under federal control and deploys the National Guard using the 1973 Home Rule Act ([09:10]).
  • Cites rising crime as justification, but crime in D.C. is actually at a 30-year low according to DOJ data ([09:38]).
  • Contradicts this rationale by having pardoned 1,500 January 6th rioters and dropped remaining cases.

4. State Violence & Political Motivation

• Sanitization of State Violence:
  • ICE, DHS, and the White House joke on social media about torture and cruelty, “suggesting it’s fun to hurt people” ([11:00]).
  • Pardoning of drug trafficker Ross Ulbricht and acceptance of a foreign killer demonstrate that “law and order” is a pretense for political ends.
• Escalation of Violence, Political Rhetoric, & Troop Deployment:
  • A pattern of MAGA-style rhetoric escalating violence: shootings of lawmakers, and an attack on the CDC by a radicalized individual.
  • Republican governors send their National Guards to support Trump’s “takeover” of D.C.; journalist Philip Bump notes that crime rates are higher in many sending states than in D.C. itself ([12:00]).
  • Heather concludes,

    “The Trump administration is launching a classic authoritarian project, attempting to take over a country through division and fear. But they badly misunderstand the nature of power.”

5. The Diminishing of American Strength

• Final Reflection:

  • If Trump and his allies succeed, America will be “badly diminished,” losing global stature and falling “to the level of a country like Russia.”
  • True national strength:

    “The extraordinary strength of our nation always came not from force but from alliances.” ([12:28])

• Media Distraction:

  • The only “success” of Trump’s military deployments: a sharp decrease in media mentions of the Epstein files ([12:54]).

Notable Quotes

• On Trump’s embrace of Putin’s view:

  “Trump indicated that he is abandoning his own demand for a ceasefire and adopting Putin's position that negotiations should take place without one. Zelensky insists on a ceasefire before negotiations.” ([00:32])

• On the fragility of American power:

  “Together, Putin and Trump have gone a long way toward aligning the U.S. government with Putin and other authoritarians.” ([03:55])

• On European unity:

  “If we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflict.”
  — Emmanuel Macron ([04:37])

• On domestic authoritarianism:

  “Rather than building domestic coalitions to support the government, he is overseeing the takeover of the government by a radical minority that seems to think the way to build power is for the government to attack its own people.” ([06:00])

• On the spectacle of state violence:

  “ICE and the Department of Homeland Security joke on social media about torture, suggesting it’s fun to hurt people. They are sanitizing and popularizing state violence.” ([11:00])

• On the nature of real strength:

  “If they succeed, they will control a badly diminished United States of America … far from the powerhouse it was when we recognized that the extraordinary strength of our nation always came not from force but from alliances.” ([12:28])

Important Segment Timestamps

• Trump–Putin Summit Fallout: 00:00–04:00
• European Response & White House Meeting: 04:00–06:00
• Domestic Use of Military Force & Legal Challenges: 06:00–10:00
• Authoritarian Governance & Political Violence: 10:00–12:00
• Conclusion: Reflection on Power & Strength: 12:00–13:03

This episode provides an incisive analysis of America’s position in 2025, documenting the erosion of its alliances and democratic norms, and highlighting the growing dangers of authoritarian leadership—both at home and abroad. Heather Cox Richardson’s measured yet urgent tone underscores the gravity of the current moment, warning that democracy’s true power comes not from force, but from the strength of its ties and its openness.