Fact check: Which 5 us presidents have had an authoritarian bent

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, the sources focus exclusively on Donald Trump as a U.S. president with authoritarian tendencies. Multiple political scientists and scholars have identified Trump as exhibiting authoritarian characteristics through various actions and behaviors ^[1].

The sources document specific authoritarian actions attributed to Trump, including:

• Attempts to expand executive power and erode checks and balances ^[1]
• Deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C. and threats to deploy them to other Democratic-led cities ^{[2] [3]}
• Use of authoritarian populist tactics such as fearmongering, scapegoating, and nativism ^[4]
• Seven specific authoritarian moves including deploying military on U.S. soil, imposing tariffs, investigating political opponents, and ignoring Congress ^[5]
• Admiration for authoritarian leaders like Hungary's Viktor Orbán ^[1]

One historian, Garrett Graff, argues that under Trump's presidency, the United States has "tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and fascism" ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses provided contain significant gaps in addressing the original question about five U.S. presidents with authoritarian tendencies:

• Only one president is discussed - Donald Trump - despite the question asking for five presidents
• No historical context is provided about other presidents who may have exhibited authoritarian behaviors throughout American history
• Missing presidents who scholars have historically criticized for authoritarian actions, such as:
• Presidents during wartime who expanded executive powers
• Presidents who used emergency powers extensively
• Presidents who challenged judicial or legislative authority

The sources appear to reflect a contemporary political focus rather than a comprehensive historical analysis. Political scientists, historians, and media organizations analyzing Trump's presidency would benefit from increased attention and readership during periods of political controversy, potentially influencing the volume of scholarship focused on recent events rather than historical patterns.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it asks a legitimate historical and political science question. However, the analyses provided demonstrate clear bias by:

• Focusing exclusively on one president from one political party, despite the question's broader scope
• Lacking historical perspective that would provide context for comparing authoritarian tendencies across different presidencies and time periods
• Presenting only critical viewpoints without including alternative scholarly perspectives or defenses of the actions described

The sources cited appear to come primarily from academic and media institutions that have been critical of Trump's presidency, potentially creating an echo chamber effect rather than providing the balanced, comprehensive analysis needed to properly answer a question about five presidents across American history.