Applied case study extending Peter Kahl’s Authoritarianism and the Architecture of Obedience. Examines the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! under Trump’s second term as an instance of authoritarian epistemic capture. Reframes obedience as epistemic submission and explores fiduciary–epistemic scaffolds for resistance.

This paper reconceptualises Nazi camp guards as epistemic subjects shaped by systemic betrayal, integrating classical psychology with Kahl’s Epistemic Clientelism Theory and fiduciary–epistemic duties. It redefines atrocity as epistemic failure and authority as fiduciary trusteeship, proposing safeguards for pluralism and atrocity prevention.