Expert warns Donald Trump is falling into the exact same trap as past dictators and it could backfire

It’s no secret that Donald Trump is on the impulsive side, but one expert has said his leadership style could ‘backfire’ on him, like we’ve seen many times before.

Trump first came into power in January 2017, when he was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. His term ended in 2021, when he was replaced by Democrat Joe Biden.

However, it wasn’t the last the country saw of Trump, as he was re-elected in January 2025. It's now been reported that Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to a record low of 34%, a YouGov poll found. This is thought to be due to the prolonged war in Iran, plus concerns about the economy, which continue to rise.

Now, one expert believes Trump is falling into a trap - and the only way is down.

Trump's approval ratings have slipped to a record low (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“I have seen this brand of strongman megalomania and the adverse effects it can ultimately have on leaders and their governments,” Authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat wrote in the New York Times - which she described as ‘autocratic backfire.’

According to the expert, this is when leaders remove themselves from advice and feedback from experts, and then “double down and engage in even riskier behavior.”

Instead, they surround themselves with ‘ loyalists who praise them and party functionaries who repeat their lies,’ making them ‘believe their own hype’.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t end well, the expert says, as she cites it ending with a population who ‘lose faith in their leader’ and elites even rethinking their support.

She compares this to that of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

The expert warns the population may lose faith in their leader (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump famously does not take well to ‘criticism’ and bad press. Towards the end of 2025, the POTUS said TV networks which are opposed to him should ‘maybe lose their licence’.

"I have read some place that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily [in last year's election]," the president said.

"They give me only bad publicity [and] press. I mean, they're getting a licence. I would think maybe their licence should be taken away,” he said while returning from a state visit to the UK.

It came after the news that ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmell following comments made about the shooting of Charlie Kirk.

However, shortly after, Disney said: "We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”