Bestselling author Elizabeth Graham, an expert on the Trump-Putin relationship, argues that President Donald Trump's political dishonesty—including bribery, graft, and malfeasance—has plunged the United States into a state of moral decline. In her view, Americans yearn for truth, justice, and law, but Trump's actions have eroded these foundational values. Graham, who writes the popular Substack newsletter egraham.substack.com, recently published a post titled "Corruption" in which she draws parallels between anti-authoritarian movements and the current U.S. political landscape.
Graham writes that successful anti-authoritarian movements strongly attack corruption, framing regimes as dishonest and morally rotten, while reclaiming patriotic symbols. She laments that over the past decade, with Trump as a central figure, core values like veracity, verity, and factuality have nearly disappeared. She asserts that laws should uphold truth, but Trump acts as though he is above the law, citing the Epstein Files Transparency Act as an example. Enacted unanimously by Congress in November 2025, the law required the Department of Justice to release records related to Jeffrey Epstein by December 19, 2025. Yet, as CBS News reported on January 8, 2026, the full release remains indefinite, with attention shifting to the DOJ's Office of Inspector General. Graham contends Trump has evaded disclosure through distractions, including wars, delaying justice.
Drawing on historical context, Graham notes that the Declaration of Independence's assertion that 'all men are created equal' was written by Thomas Jefferson, who owned over 600 slaves. She argues this fundamental lie has perpetuated a standard of dishonesty, and now, under Trump, American leadership has never been more disoriented. She labels Trump a bigot, citing his closure of USAID to stop aid to Africa, which a Lancet study estimates could lead to 15 million deaths by 2040. She also criticizes his inhumane treatment of immigrants, contrasting it with America's immigrant heritage.
Graham points to recent foreign policy failures, such as Trump's public plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop attacks on Lebanon, which was rebuffed. As MSN reported via The Daily Beast on June 7, 2026, Trump's plea fell flat, and Iran launched missiles in response to Israeli bombings. This contradicts Trump's repeated promise to end the Ukraine war in one day, a claim he made 53 times according to a CNN fact check from April 25, 2025. Graham questions whether Trump comprehends his own statements.
She highlights the pervasive corruption in Trump's administration, citing the American Bar Association's March 4, 2026 report that the administration has exchanged government benefits, appointments, and policies for financial contributions, creating a pay-to-play culture. Without reforms and accountability, Graham warns, this corruption will destroy faith in democracy, exactly as Vladimir Putin intends. Her full analysis is available on her Substack, and her book 'From Democracy To Democrazy: A Warning To All Americans' has garnered praise for its urgent warning about Russia's threat to America.
