U.S. Democracy Decline Poses Risks to Global Rule of Law

WHO:

NPR - Dr. Seema Shah, head of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance's democracy assessment team.

Al Jazeera - Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA.

WHAT:

NPR - The U.S. democracy has reached its lowest levels in 50 years, according to a global report.

NPR - The report indicates that in 2025, "President Donald Trump quickly amassed power in the executive branch and wielded it to further a narrow set of personal goals and pursue retaliation against perceived enemies."

Al Jazeera - Nearly half of the indicators used to measure American democracy have fallen to their lowest levels in 50 years.

Al Jazeera - The U.S. recorded seven statistically significant declines between 2020 and 2025, including in access to justice, freedom of expression, press freedom, and judicial independence.

Al Jazeera - Judicial independence has fallen to a 36-year low, while credible elections are at their lowest level in 30 years.

Al Jazeera - The report states that 57% of countries surveyed showed declines in at least one key indicator of democratic performance between 2020 and 2025.

WHERE:

NPR - The report tracks democratic performance across 174 countries.

Al Jazeera - The U.S. is described as the “most prominent example and accelerator” of global democratic decline.

WHEN:

NPR - The report focuses on changes in democratic performance between 2020 and 2025.

Al Jazeera - The report was released on a Tuesday.

WHY:

NPR - The report suggests that the U.S. administration's policies are harming domestic democracy and weakening global norms.

Al Jazeera - The report warns that the broader erosion of democracy comes with consequences for global security, associating some forms of democratic decline with a greater risk of violent conflict.

HOW:

Al Jazeera - The report cites cuts to funding for public broadcasters and ad hominem attacks on journalists as factors contributing to the decline in press freedom.

Al Jazeera - The report describes the Trump administration's use of the immigration system as the “starkest example” of declining access to justice, highlighting the removal of 137 Venezuelans under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 10:44 UTC)

A new global report reveals that U.S. democracy has reached its lowest levels in 50 years, with nearly half of the indicators measuring American democratic performance falling to historic lows. The report highlights significant declines in areas such as access to justice, freedom of expression, and judicial independence, noting that the U.S. is the "most prominent example and accelerator" of this global democratic decline. It also warns that the erosion of democracy poses risks to global security, linking such declines to an increased likelihood of violent conflict.