A devastating new report has concluded that the United States under the Trump administration has experienced democratic backsliding at an “unprecedented” speed, rolling back democratic norms as much in one year as it took Modi in India and Erdogan in Turkey ten years to accomplish, and Orban in Hungary four.
The report, compiled by multiple international democracy monitoring organisations, tracks indicators including judicial independence, press freedom, electoral integrity, and civil liberties. On virtually every measure, the US has declined sharply since January 2025.
The Evidence
The numbers are damning. Trump has signed 249 executive orders in just over fourteen months, compared to 220 across the entirety of his first term. The concentration of power in the executive branch, the purging of independent inspectors general, the politicisation of the Department of Justice, and the systematic undermining of congressional oversight all contribute to the picture of a democracy under severe strain.
Press freedom organisations have documented a marked increase in government hostility towards journalists, including restricted access, the labelling of outlets as “enemies of the people,” and the use of government advertising budgets to reward favourable coverage.
Why It Matters
America’s democratic decline doesn’t just affect Americans. The United States has long been the guarantor of the liberal international order. When American democracy weakens, authoritarian regimes worldwide take notice — and take licence. The ripple effects are already visible, from the emboldening of strongmen in the Global South to the erosion of multilateral institutions.