“The United States of America (USA) remains on the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist following sustained attacks on civic freedoms. In the first six months of President Donald Trump’s second term, authorities have escalated suppression of protesters through military deployments, targeted journalists, criminalised dissent, and undermined civil society through legislative and financial restrictions. Freedoms guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution are under threat as the administration consolidates executive power, suppresses dissent, and reshapes public institutions to serve partisan interests.

“The United States appears to be sliding deeper into the quicksands of authoritarianism. Peaceful protests are confronted with military force, critics are treated as criminals, journalists are targeted, and support for civil society and international cooperation have been cut back,” said Mandeep Tiwana, Secretary General of CIVICUS. “Six months into Donald Trump’s second term, a bizarre assault on fundamental freedoms and constitutional safeguards has become the new normal.” The USA, once a global champion of democracy and civic freedoms, joins the latest Watchlist along with Kenya, El Salvador, Indonesia, Serbia, and Turkey…”

On the United States’ civic space rating of Narrowed: This is the second-highest tier rating. It means that people in the country are allowed to exercise civic freedoms, including the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression, but occasionally violations of these rights take place (see full description of ratings). See Frequently Asked Questions about the Watchlist here. There are a total of 42 countries in the world with this rating (see all)…”