Letters to the editor: Trump, China and Covid 17 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM 8 minutes to read Outgoing US president Donald Trump. Photo / AP NZ Herald For those wondering how dictators rise to power in a democracy, the recent events in the United States, sadly, provide a case study. A leader with little or no regard for democratic institutions; elected representatives and officials who pledge fealty to the leader and enable the leader to pursue the assault on such institutions with impunity; and sections of the media that perpetuate falsehoods all conspire to set the table. The recent actions of many...