Tripwires: 15 Twenty-First-Century Events That Undermined American Democracy—and How to Reclaim It

by Richard North Patterson

In a trenchant work of nonfiction, the #1 New York Times bestselling author identifies a series of self-inflicted wounds on our body politic that have led to the current moment, and shows us how we can undo the harm

“A modern-day Tocqueville, Richard North Patterson marshals an immense amount of research to show, incisively and readably, why we are now in danger of losing our democracy—and how we can recover from our current malaise.” —Max Boot, author of His Life and Legend

In a trenchant work of nonfiction, the New York Times bestselling author identifies a series of self-inflicted wounds and destabilizing societal trends that have led America to the precipice of autocracy, and lays out a program or reversing the harm. From politicized Supreme Court decisions to wrong-headed policy initiatives and toxic political maneuvers, Richard North Patterson—whose novel on presidential politics, Protect and Defend, was a #1 New York Times bestseller—combines fifteen fateful moments in the past quarter-century with an immersive narrative of the underlying economic, cultural, and political developments that made these tripwires so profoundly consequential.

Starting with the Supreme Court intervention that awarded George W. Bush the presidency, Patterson examines the often under-appreciated turning points that helped undermine our polity, from the accidental accession of John Roberts as Chief Justice and the ruin wreaked by America’s subprime mortgages, to Donald Trump’s demand to see Barack Obama’s birth certificate, Marco Rubio’s sabotage of his own immigration reform bill, and Mitch McConnell’s refusal to convict Trump for his attempted coup—culimating in the ultimate betrayal of our constitutional the Roberts Court’s invitation to unbounded presidential power.

Patterson’s near-encyclopedic knowledge of recent U.S. history along with his political acumen and training as a trial lawyer allow him to distill cause and effect in a deeply synthetic way, building to a comprehensive account of the perverse compound of ignorance, corruption, racism, religiosity, plutocracy, and authoritarianism wrought by Trump’s return to power. He concludes with a detailed program for establishing a truly equitable and democratic society, offering hope for America’s future.

Genres: Politics

261 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2026

About the author

Richard North Patterson is the author of fourteen previous bestselling and critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, Patterson served as the SEC’s liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups dealing with gun violence, political reform, and women’s rights. He lives in San Francisco and on Martha’s Vineyard.
Macmillan.com Author Profile

Awards
Edgar Award, 1980, Best First Novel for The Lasko Tangent

Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, International Award, 1995 for Degree of Guilt

http://us.macmillan.com/author/richar...

Reviews

[Dave Schoettinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard North Patterson is one of millions of Americans who have over the past years seen things happen in American politics and government that they had considered unimaginable and asked "How did we get here?", or some similar question. Mr. Patterson has helpfully provided in this book a chronography of the events of the current century that he believes present a plausible pathway down which we have stumbled to our current situation.

Like many others he has noted that increasing partisanship has lead many Americans to desire the triumph of their side by any means, without regard to legality of constitutionality. Although he lays much of the blame on Republicans, especially Donald Trump and John Roberts, the rest of us do not emerge unscathed by his analysis.

Rather than merely cursing the darkness, Patterson attempts in the last chapter to a light a candle on how to rescue American democracy can renew itself. One recommendation, with which I totally agree, is to reduce the deficit. On this matter, Patterson would surely agree with a quote widely attributed to bank robber Willie Sutton. Although Wikipedia assures me that the quote is apocryphal, it is too appropriate not to use. When Sutton was asked why he robbed bank, he supposedly responded, "because that's where the money is". In that spirit Patterson would tax the growing group of billionaires and multi-millionaires. My thought is that if this group is going to run the country as they increasingly seem to be doing, the least they can do is pay for it.

Patterson has a number of other suggestions of varying likelihood of being followed, but they certainly will challenge you to clarify your own thinking.

[Skip · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

A thoughtful analysis of how the United States drifted toward authoritarianism through a series of 15 avoidable turning points over the past quarter-century. Patterson argues America’s democratic decline was not inevitable. Instead, it was driven by a compounding mix of myopia, political miscalculation, systemic corruption, and bad-faith maneuvering across all three branches of government. Summary of the 15 Tripwires:

• The Supreme Court decision to halting the 2000 Election recount (Bush v. Gore)
• The Bush Tax Cuts creating massive fiscal windfalls for the wealthy ballooning national debt and accelerating inequality
• John Roberts election as Chief Justice and long-term conservative reshaping of the Supreme Court
• Subprime Mortgage Crisis and financial deregulation leading to recession
• Obama's Birth Certificate controversy weaponizing the "birther" movement
• Voter Suppression/Gerrymandering disenfranchising voters
• Sabotage of Immigration Reform derailing bipartisan immigration efforts
• Trump rise to power, downplaying ties to Russia, surviving impeachment efforts with Mitch McConnell's help
• Institutional/Personal Missteps, including Hillary Clinton’s campaign, the Biden/Harris transition, RBG's refusal to resign as a Supreme Court justice
• Unbounded Presidential power granted by the Supreme Court granting broad criminal immunity and establishing modern executive autocracy via the shadow docket.

Patterson concludes by laying out a concrete, reform-minded program to repair democratic norms, rebalance the judiciary, rein in plutocracy, and restore civic trust.

[Bob Kochinskas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate receiving the review copy, and overall I appreciate Patterson's perspective on the situation we now find ourselves in. That being said, it seems like the narrative gets a bit repetitive at times, and the thesis has been presented better and in broader context by others (i.e. Heather Cox Richardson). I would certainly not discourage anyone from giving this a read.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a nonstop rant that added nothing to my knowledge and does nothing to further constructive political discourse or to get us to solutions of the problems of authoritarianism under Trump. I agree with much of what Mr. Patterson has to say, and I don't mind rants. But I like smart and constructive rants, which this book is not. People who agree with Mr. Patterson and who follow the news already know all of this and don't need to hear more reflections of noise in the echo chamber. People who disagree with Mr. Patterson will remain unconvinced, even if they are willing to keep reading after the first few pages. At the end there is a chapter of proposed solutions to the problems, but it's just a catalog of old legislative ideas that the Democrats might enact if they got back into power in Washington. It's more of the kind of old thinking that got us into this mess to begin with. We need to face the new reality that we sadly live in and find ways to turn it to opportunity instead of spinning down the drain. I was not convinced by Mr. Patterson's program and the few hundred pages of the book before he got to his program did not have the kind of integrated connection to his program that would have made it more persuasive.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone concerned with how America came to be in the mess it's in should read this book. Richard North Patterson has done a masterly job leading readers from "tripwire" to "tripwire" down the logical, and disturbing, pathway to the inevitable hole we all find ourselves trapped in.
However, he does have a way out if we are prepared to do the work to get out. Read this book!

[Jason Bednar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked a lot of the suggestions in the last part of the book. I just worry that currently elected officials cannot do what’s suggested because they are all attached to their donors. Get money out of politics and that will make it much better.

[Chester VanTyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book which shows how 15 events over the last quarter century were instrumental in getting Trump elected. Patterson also provides suggestions of how the US can recover.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Richard North Patterson, and The New Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Richard North Patterson has long been one of my favourite authors. While I devoured his legal thrillers for years, his transition into nonfiction has been just as compelling. Few writers combine the precision of a trial lawyer, the narrative instincts of a novelist, and the analytical depth of a political historian as effectively as Patterson. Tripwires is not a partisan diatribe or a collection of recycled talking points. It is a meticulously argued examination of the political, judicial, and cultural decisions that Patterson believes steadily weakened America's democratic institutions and created the conditions for today's deeply polarised political landscape.

Rather than searching for a single moment of collapse, Patterson identifies fifteen pivotal events that altered the trajectory of modern American politics. Beginning with the Supreme Court's intervention in the 2000 presidential election and moving through economic crises, judicial appointments, immigration battles, congressional dysfunction, and the rise of Donald Trump, Patterson carefully constructs a chain of cause and effect. Whether discussing the consequences of Citizens United, the normalization of political obstruction, or the expansion of executive power, he demonstrates how seemingly isolated decisions accumulated into something far more consequential than many recognized at the time.

What impressed me most was Patterson's ability to transform complex constitutional, political, and historical developments into an engaging and accessible narrative. His arguments are supported by historical context rather than emotional rhetoric (a MAGA bumbling), allowing readers to evaluate the evidence while appreciating how each event connects to the next. Even readers who disagree with some of his conclusions will find it difficult to dismiss the careful research and thoughtful reasoning that underpin every chapter.

The structure is exceptionally effective. Each "tripwire" functions as both a self-contained examination and an essential building block in the larger argument. Patterson writes with urgency but never loses sight of clarity, making this a remarkably readable work despite the weight of its subject matter. His legal background is evident throughout, presenting evidence methodically before drawing conclusions that feel earned rather than imposed.

What ultimately elevates Tripwires is Patterson's refusal to simply diagnose problems. He closes by offering thoughtful proposals for strengthening democratic institutions and restoring public trust, ensuring the book ends with cautious optimism rather than resignation. Whether readers embrace every recommendation or not, Patterson succeeds in encouraging critical reflection about where America has been and where it may be heading.

This is political nonfiction at its strongest: meticulously researched, intellectually honest, highly readable, and impossible to ignore. Richard North Patterson has once again demonstrated why he remains one of the most insightful writers working today. For anyone interested in modern American politics, constitutional governance, or the forces reshaping Western democracies, Tripwires is essential reading and one of the most thought-provoking books I have read this year.

Kudos, Mr. Patterson, for a stunning analysis that offers both sides of this highly controversial issue.

Love/hate the review?
An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard North Patterson is an author I’ve enjoyed in the past, reading some of his work around the same time that I was introduced to John Grisham. I’ve since more or less forgotten about him. Tripwires was a highly impressive way to be reintroduced to him.

No doubt the Trump years have been a boon to the publishing industry as everybody seems to have something to say. I personally have listened to at least six books in the last three years alone and have found them to be quite interesting. Tripwires may be the book that hit me the hardest.

The fifteen events referenced in the book’s subtitle all took place in this century, starting with the Supreme Court’s involvement in the case of the State of Florida’s voting results in the Bush-Gore presidential election, and continuing all the way to a number of events which have taken place since the rise of Trump. What elevates this book is the phenomenal writing skills of Patterson. He helps to make complex situations understandable and presents it all in an interesting way.

While I can’t think of any point made with which I vehemently disagreed, Patterson’s anti-Republican biases are clear from the start. Although there was some criticism directed at the Democratic party, such as too much virtue signaling and not enough focus on the working class, I wish the book was a little more balanced. As it is written, I suspect that this book will likely not be read by the people who might be best served to step back and see the big picture.

The best thing about this book is that Patterson ends it with suggestions as to what need to happen in the years ahead to get things back on track. I thought he had some good ideas.

The audiobook was narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross. He did an excellent job. I listened at a 1.25 speed.

Thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to listen to Tripwires. I might actually prefer Richard North Patterson, the non-fiction writer, to the Richard North Patterson I previously read. The above opinions are my own.

[Eliza's Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tripwires by Richard North Patterson attempts to show how it wasn’t just one major act that has plunged America into losing its Democracy but at least 15 critical events/decisions that have unraveled Democracy. Richard’s ability to explain with these 15 events was clear and well researched. The first half of the book includes many Supreme Court decisions beginning with the 2000 presidential election ruling that have chipped away at democracy along with other events including 9/11 that resulted in legislations being passed that chipped away at personal liberties under the guise of national security. The evidence shown between the connection of each of these events are presented in an engaging and accessible way because of Richard North Patterson’s legal background and his ability to show cause and effect of all these critical events.The second half of Tripwires brings possible solutions to correcting the coarse while there is still time.

I’m not going to lie, this book is a great read especially if you are younger or less knowledgeable in politics of the last twenty-five years. It may feel like all of these has happened overnight but in reality the erosion has been going on for quite a long time and is proceeding as planned.

I was lucky enough not only to read the e-ARC but also to listen to the advanced Listener Copy of Tripwires. Jonathan Todd Ross did an excellent job narrating this very important and timely read. Jonathan’s annunciation was clear, engaging and easy to listen to from start to finish.

Thank you, The New Press, RB Media and Richard North Patterson for providing the e-ARC and ALC via NetGalley for review.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first third of the book identifies 15 tripwires/events that have lead to the current state of affairs in the US. I found the trip wires to be informative. The 2nd third of reviews regimes corruption. If you follow politics, this section of the book is a rehash of what you already know. If you are not a political news bunny it might be informative. The last part of the book is recommendations of what needs to be done to strengthen the US. I liked the beginning and end of the book but the middle was a repeat of information I already knew.

[Robyn Sieron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read if you love politics and our country. Richard North Patterson meticulously describes all the events that led us to where we are today-on the verge of losing our democracy. Thankfully he offers solutions.

[Pamela McCaleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best succinct description of the events that have led to the current state of our country. The detail and relevance of facts make it clear how all of this has occurred to damage our democracy.

[W · Rating 1 out of 5]

Orange man- BAD. Democrats- GOOD

[Ann Dickinson]

Interesting

[Michaela Mnukova · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC review
This was absolutely brilliant. Incredibly insightful, great language and the information was presented clearly and simply. The author embarks on journey as to why and how did American democracy got to the point it did. Ho covers topics such as corruption in the Trump family, the class differences, previous policies that lead to Trumps presidency, mortgages, money, immigration and how republican’s position on the issue changed throughout the years, denial of science, racism and xenophobia and so much more.
He doesn’t necessarily criticize just Republicans but also the Democrats-he especially focuses on their tragic communication style and policies which lead to them loosing election AND he OFFERS feasible solutions.
Truly a great read, I am so incredibly grateful I got my hands on this and I’ll be thinking about the points raised in this book for a while.

[Josephine Larkspur · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

The issue with this book isn't the content itself; the content is useful, informative, and is something that should be what the population knows - the issue is that the people who are likely to read this, or listen to it (in my case), are going to be aware of a lot of the content that it covers. I spend my time between the UK and the US, which means that I am very tapped into the political aspects of both countries, because I know my life is ultimately shaped by the politics within both those countries.

This is a very useful book, if you don't already know it. In regards to about the political spectrum of america, people will read this as left leaning content, but I am sat here thinking - the USA don't have a left wing, not really and while it does a good job in holding some stands to people like Roberts, McConnell and so on I do not think that it does enough to hold the political class as a whole to the same standards. I do not think this book criticised Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose selfishness is one of the major factors in why the Supreme Court is the way that it is now and has led to the ultimate unraveling of American democracy.

This isn't bad; it just didn't go deep enough and was a little too blind to factors that should have been called out.