“Donald Trump is following an autocrat’s playbook in his second term, weakening checks on his power and leaving the U.S. less safe, former senior intelligence officials have warned, as they step up public criticism of the president’s authoritarian style of governing,” the Financial Times reports.“Trump returned to office pledging war against the so-called deep state that he blamed for constraining his power during his first term. Since then, he has sought to silence critics and demanded loyalty from those around him.”