Casey Michel — United States of Oligarchy: How America's Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy - with Matt Duss

Casey Michel presents his latest book, *United States of Oligarchy: How America's Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy*, in conversation with foreign policy expert Matt Duss. The event explores Michel's argument that a small group of billionaires has infiltrated the U.S. government and allied with autocratic regimes, transforming American democracy into an oligarchy. Drawing on figures such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jared Kushner, Michel connects domestic wealth concentration to global authoritarian influence, linking issues from the war in Ukraine to instability in Gaza and Greenland. His talk will cover the historical roots of oligarchy, the current generation of power brokers, and the threat this poses to American sovereignty. Michel, director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation and author of *American Kleptocracy* and *Foreign Agents*, will be joined by Matt Duss, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy and former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders.

When: Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 7:00 PM

Showtimes: Doors open at 7:00 PM; event begins at that time (no separate showtime listed)

Tickets: Free admission; seating is first come, first served

Lineup: Casey Michel (author and journalist) in conversation with Matt Duss (Center for International Policy executive vice president)

Run time: Not specified by the venue

Ages: No age restriction provided; all ages are likely welcome unless noted otherwise

Venue: Politics and Prose at The Wharf, 610 Water St SW, Washington, DC 20024

Note: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com ideally one week before the event; the venue will try to accommodate all requests up to the time of the event. Attendees can preorder a signed copy of *United States of Oligarchy* ($31.00 hardcover) through Politics and Prose; the book is published on August 4, 2026.