> What is relevant is the opinion of actual experts on the topic of autocracy.

What happens to the “experts” when they are wrong?

They become pundits making mid 6-figures on TV and go on the lecture circuit making 5-figures per speech. Not a bad life for someone who doesn't need to be right.. ever.

In this case, I think they would all love to be wrong. If they are right, many of them will end up in jail, or dead.

You mention unnamed "experts" and "consensus" without citation.

Post your sources.

I don't know who qualifies as an expert, but Masha Gessen comes to mind.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/one-year-after...

There are as many sources as there are experts on the topic... If you had bothered to even google "autocracy expert trump" you would have dozens of sources already.

1. Sarah Kendzior. PhD on the topic of autocracy (specifically Uzbekistan). Investigative journalist on the topic of corruption in the Trump administration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Kendzior

2. Tim Snyder. Professor of History at Yale university. https://www.timothysnyder.org/

3. Laurence Tribe. Professor of Constitutional law at Harvard. https://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/laurence-tribe-mitch-mcconn...

Now, your turn. Can you cite credible experts who disagree with this consensus?