The United States has been added to the Civicus Monitor Watchlist, which identifies nations facing a rapid decline in civic freedoms. This development comes amid mounting concerns about the "Trump administration’s assault on democratic norms and global cooperation." The Civicus Monitor tracks civic freedom developments across 198 countries, categorizing them based on their civic space conditions.
Currently, the US is labeled as "narrowed" in terms of civic freedoms. This classification indicates that occasional violations occur, yet citizens can generally exercise their civic rights. However, the nation was previously categorized as "obstructed" during part of Trump's first term. This shift was largely due to the administration's response to the Black Lives Matter protests and the enactment of restrictive state laws.
Mandeep Tiwana, co-secretary general of Civicus, expressed concern that the US could be heading back towards the "obstructed" category. The US has historically been considered a "beacon of democracy and defense of fundamental freedoms," but the Trump administration's actions have been described as an "unparalleled attack on the rule of law" not witnessed since McCarthyism in the twentieth century.
“Restrictive executive orders, unjustifiable institutional cutbacks, and intimidation tactics through threatening pronouncements by senior officials in the administration are creating an atmosphere to chill democratic dissent, a cherished American ideal.”
— Mandeep Tiwana, co-secretary general of Civicus
The administration's controversial actions include the mass termination of federal employees, appointing Trump loyalists to key positions, withdrawing from international agreements, and freezing both federal and foreign aid. Furthermore, the crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters and restricted media access to presidential briefings have drawn widespread criticism.
The Civicus Monitor uses five ratings to classify civic space: open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed, and closed. The US currently holds a "narrowed" rating, a status it also maintained during the Biden administration. However, ongoing developments could threaten this classification.
“severely impact constitutional freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression, and association”
— Civicus
The decision to add the US to the watchlist reflects concerns that recent actions by the Trump administration could "severely impact constitutional freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression, and association." Tiwana noted that these actions might "likely impact civic freedoms and reverse hard-won human rights gains around the world."
The announcement of the US's addition to the watchlist coincided with similar announcements for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Italy, Pakistan, and Serbia. Tiwana emphasized that the Trump administration seems to support fundamental freedoms only for those who align with its views.
“We urge the United States to uphold the rule of law and respect constitutional and international human rights norms.”
— Mandeep Tiwana, co-secretary general of Civicus