kleptocracy noun klep·toc·ra·cy | \ klep-ˈtä-krə-sē \ plural kleptocracies

: government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed

also : a particular government of this kind

On this episode of Black Diplomats host Terrell J. Starr is joined by Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa, founders of the podcast juggernaut Gaslit Nation. Terrell asks them to define what a kleptocratic government looks like for folks who might not be familiar with the word, and then they cover some of the many examples from the Trump Administration. They talk about the Russian oligarchs and advisors who’ve steered Trump from the start, and what a second term could look like. With friends like Paul Manafort, who has time for enemies?

Gaslit Nation is hosted by writers Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa, experts on authoritarian states who warned America about election hacking before the 2016 election. They take a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Subscribe today to catch up on previous episodes and get new ones! (also available on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, and PocketCasts).