Bestselling author Elizabeth Graham, an authority on the Trump-Putin relationship, asserts that President Donald Trump's political dishonesty—including bribery, graft, and malfeasance—has led the United States into a state of moral decline. In her recent Substack post titled "Corruption," Graham writes that successful anti-authoritarian movements attack corruption while reclaiming national symbols, but under Trump, values such as truth, justice, and honesty have eroded.
Graham highlights the Epstein Files Transparency Act, enacted in November 2025, which required the Department of Justice to release records related to Jeffrey Epstein by December 19, 2025. She claims Trump has evaded full disclosure by creating distractions. A CBS News report from January 2026 noted that attention has shifted to the DOJ's Office of Inspector General monitoring the situation.
The author draws on historical context, noting that the Declaration of Independence's promise of equality was undermined by Thomas Jefferson's ownership of slaves, setting a precedent for dishonesty. She argues that Trump's bigotry is evident in his closure of USAID, which stopped aid to Africa, citing a study in The Lancet predicting 15 million deaths by 2040 due to this policy.
Graham also points to Trump's foreign policy failures, including a public plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that went unheeded, as reported by MSN and The Daily Beast. She notes Trump's repeated unfulfilled promise to end the Ukraine war in one day, fact-checked by CNN.
Citing the American Bar Association, Graham claims the Trump administration has exchanged government benefits for financial contributions, creating a pay-to-play culture that undermines faith in democracy. She warns that without accountability, this corruption will destroy American democracy—a goal she attributes to Vladimir Putin.
Graham's book, From Democracy To Democrazy: A Warning To All Americans, draws on her decades of experience living and working under authoritarian regimes. She argues that Trump's actions mirror those of dictators she encountered overseas, making her critique particularly poignant. The book has received praise for its urgent warning about the threat to American democracy.
