Can the Handmaid’s Tale author see the future? The writer Margaret Atwood thinks that if Trump wins the US presidential election he could become a violent dictator.
Author warns Trump could be a dictator
Political eye: Margaret Atwood puts her fascination with dictators down to being born during World War Two, whilst The Handmaid's Tale was inspired by the Reagan presidency. Glossary
Margaret Atwood - Canadian novelist whose best-known book is The Handmaid's Tale.
Donald Trump - An American politician, media personality, and businessman serving as the 47th president of the United States since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Tyranny - Cruel and aggressive use of power, often used to describe countries under the grip of a single oppressive leader.
Dictatorships - A form of government in which one person possesses all the power without any limits.
Immigrants - People who have moved into one country from another.
Pandemic - An outbreak of disease which occurs across a wide geographic area, as opposed to an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region.