Democratic erosion in the US

Democratic erosion in the US

Democratic erosion is a global phenomenon, and according to experts, the U.S. is not immune. Learn more about the kinds of democratic erosion affecting the U.S. from election manipulation to executive overreach.

FILE PHOTO: A mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump fight with members of law enforcement at a door they broke open as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

Demonstrators rally on Cambridge Common in a protest organized by the City of Cambridge calling on Harvard leadership to resist interference at the university by the federal government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. on April 12, 2025.

U.S. Democracy Targeting higher education is an essential tool in the autocratic playbook

Renée Rippberger, Rachel Beatty Riedl, Jonathan Katz

May 1, 2025

Protesters hold signs and chant slogans outside a Tesla showroom during a demonstration in Richmond, Virginia, USA on March 29, 2025. More than 300 people turned out for the event to protest Elon Musk and his quasi-governmental DOGE group as part of the nationwide Tesla Takedown movement.

U.S. Democracy US democracy at risk as corruption threats grow

Jonathan Katz, Renée Rippberger

April 3, 2025

Demonstrators rally during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and the actions he has taken in the first weeks of his presidency that pose threats to US democracy, outside of the Department of Labor (not pictured) in Washington, U.S., February 5, 2025.

U.S. Government & Politics Dangerous cracks in US democracy pillars

Eric Urby, Jonathan Katz

February 13, 2025

A voter receives a sticker after casting his ballot at New Begin Hall during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day in Gray, Maine, U.S., on November 5, 2024.

U.S. Democracy Trump’s executive order threatens to undermine American elections

Jonathan Katz, Peter W. Beck

March 28, 2025

People participate in a peaceful memorial for George Floyd at Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn, New York, NY on June 4, 2020.

U.S. Democracy Democracy Playbook 2025

Norman Eisen, Jonathan Katz

January 17, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

U.S. Democracy Do eroding presidential norms undermine constitutional principles?

Scott R. Anderson, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas

March 13, 2025

mail in ballots

U.S. Democracy How do we protect our democracy from corruption and foreign threats?

Norman Eisen, Quinta Jurecic, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas

October 24, 2024

Supreme Court building

U.S. Democracy What role do courts and judges play in democracy?

Russell Wheeler, Benjamin Wittes, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas

August 29, 2024

Photo of an American flag and stock market chart representing the economy and patriotism.

Cities & Communities Democratic erosion causes economic decline. Here are the 7 kinds of business at highest risk.

Vanessa Williamson

May 14, 2024

Snipers are seen walking on the roof of the White House in Washington, D.C. at sunset on February 9, 2022 (Photo by Bryan Olin Dozier/NurPhoto)

Congress Democratic erosion: The role of executive aggrandizement

Vanessa Williamson

October 30, 2023

The United States Capitol is seen in Washington D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Photo by Stefani Reynolds / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

International Affairs Four things to know about democratic erosion

Vanessa Williamson

October 18, 2023

A detail view of the U.S Supreme Court and an American Flag, in Washington, D.C., on Friday December 10, 2021. REUTERS/Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA

Campaigns & Elections Democratic decline in the United States: Strategic manipulation of elections

Vanessa Williamson

October 23, 2023

January 6th Capitol Riot

Internet & Telecommunications How tech platforms fuel U.S. political polarization and what government can do about it

Paul Barrett, Justin Hendrix, Grant Sims

September 27, 2021

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about early results from the 2020 U.S. presidential election in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 4, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. Government & Politics Win or lose, Trump was the mirror America needed

Andre M. Perry

November 4, 2020

U.S. President Joe Biden convenes a virtual summit with leaders from democratic nations at the State Department's Summit for Democracy, at the White House, in Washington, U.S. December 9, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. Government & Politics Inflection point: Making the Summit for Democracy matter at the IACC

Joseph Foti, Kristen Rose, Norman Eisen, Lilly Blumenthal, Robin J. Lewis, Mario Picon

December 2, 2022

An American flag flies in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building, in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)

International Affairs Understanding democratic decline in the United States

Vanessa Williamson

October 17, 2023

A U.S. flag at the Capitol building flies at half staff on January 6, 2022, the one year anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol building (Photo by Bryan Olin Dozier/NurPhoto)NO USE FRANCE

U.S. Democracy A pro-democracy rallying cry for the upcoming election

Michael Hais, Doug Ross, Morley Winograd

February 1, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden convenes a virtual summit with leaders from democratic nations at the State Department's Summit for Democracy, at the White House, in Washington, U.S. December 9, 2021. REUTERS/Leah Millis

U.S. Democracy The Biden Democracy Summit: Will it actually work?

Norman Eisen, Andrew Kenealy, Mario Picon

December 21, 2021

French flags are seen on the desks of Members of the Rassemblement National (RN) far-right party ahead of a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, September 17, 2019. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler - RC134C0960B0

U.S. Government & Politics Highlights: Lessons from The Democracy Playbook on how to prevent and reverse democratic backsliding

Agneska Bloch

November 14, 2019

U.S. Government & Politics Ten commitments to save democracy

Norman Eisen, Susan Corke, Fred Dews

December 10, 2021