Trump promised to be a dictator on day one. We’re now past day 200

Donald Trump's second term has seen a sustained assault on democratic institutions - political, judicial, media, cultural, academic - that appears to be only accelerating

The anger was raw and resolute. Speaking at the Republican congressman Mike Flood's town hall in Lincoln, Nebraska, a woman pointed to the estimated $450m cost of Alligator Alcatraz", an immigration detention facility in Florida. How much does it cost for fascism?" she demanded. How much do the taxpayers have to pay for a fascist country?"

The crowd erupted in applause and whoops. In the week that Donald Trump marked his 200th day in office, few mainstream political commentators are bandying around terms such as fascist". But many are warning of a societal march towards authoritarianism that, far from losing momentum, appears to be gathering pace.