Weissmann warns political falsehoods are weakening US democratic checks
The former FBI general counsel links normalised political deception and expanding executive power to declining institutional trust, while comparing democratic safeguards across five countries.
Andrew Weissmann has warned that the normalisation of political deception and deliberate falsehoods is weakening trust in government and public institutions in the United States.
Speaking to France 24, Weissmann — an author, NYU School of Law professor and former general counsel of the FBI — examined accountability for political lies, executive power and the condition of checks and balances during the Trump administration.
Drawing on his book, “Liar’s Kingdom”, Weissmann questioned whether political leaders in the United States face the same consequences as ordinary citizens for intentionally false statements. He argued that repeated deception can deepen mistrust in the political system.
The discussion also addressed the expansion of executive power at a time when traditional institutional checks are under strain. France 24’s programme framing described the interview as examining alleged corruption and weakened safeguards, but the supplied material presents those claims as Weissmann’s analysis rather than independently verified findings.
Weissmann compared the United States with Brazil, Britain, France and Germany, considering whether democratic systems can impose consequences for intentional political lies while protecting freedom of expression.
The interview raised broader questions about how democratic institutions respond when political speech, executive authority and the rule of law come into conflict.
