Bio

Dr. Brian Klaas is an Associate Professor of Global Politics at University College London and a contributing writer for The Atlantic. He is an expert on democracy, authoritarianism, American politics, US foreign policy, political violence, and elections. Klaas is the author of of four books ''The Despot's Apprentice: Donald Trump's Attack on Democracy'' (November 2017); ''The Despot's Accomplice: How the West is Aiding & Abetting the Decline of Democracy,'' and ''How to Rig an Election'' (co-authored with Professor Nic Cheeseman; May 2018). His most recent book, ''Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us,'' was published by Simon & Schuster in late 2021. Klaas is also the host of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast. Klaas has advised governments, US political campaigns, NATO, the European Union, multi-billion dollar investors, international NGOs, and international politicians. Dr. Klaas has extensive experience working in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and United States politics. Prior clients include International Crisis Group, The Carter Center, and large private firms. He has conducted field research, interviewing prime ministers, presidents, ministers, rebels, coup plotters, dissidents, and torture victims in an array of countries, including Madagascar, Thailand, Tunisia, Belarus, Côte d'Ivoire, and Zambia. His writing has also recently been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times, Newsweek, The Telegraph, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Foreign Policy, and many other publications. Klaas is a regular commentator on a wide array of international media outlets too, including MSNBC, CNN, BBC News, Sky News, NPR News, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and many others. Prior to becoming an academic, Dr. Klaas worked on US campaigns. Klaas is originally from Minnesota. He received his DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford (New College), an MPhil in Comparative Government with distinction from the University of Oxford (St. Antony's), and a Bachelor of Arts (Summa Cum Laude; Phi Beta Kappa) from Carleton College.