US added to international watchlist for rapid decline in civic freedoms
Guardian2 days ago
Rights Group Adds US to Its Watchlist for 'Declining' Civic Freedoms
Above: US Pres. Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress as Vice Pres. JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) listen on Tuesday, March 04, 2025, in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Contributor via Getty Images
The Facts
International non-profit civil rights watchdog Civicus announced on Monday that the US has been added to its watchlist of countries experiencing a rapid decline in civic freedoms, citing an alleged "assault on democratic norms and global cooperation" since Pres. Donald Trump returned to the White House.
The US is among 42 countries in the world whose civic space is rated as "narrowed" — the second-highest tier rating after "open" — indicating that citizens face occasional violations of democratic rights, such as the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association.
Rated as "narrowed" throughout former Pres. Joe Biden's administration, the US has now been placed on the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist amid concerns that the country could return to the "obstructed" category. During Trump's first term, the US had its rating downgraded over the government's handling of mass protests.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
The Trump administration is leading an attack on civic freedoms and democratic institutions in America not seen since the McCarthyism, threatening the very foundations of the country's society. There's a clear intent to drive dissent out of the civic space and silence their voices.
Republican narrative
This announcement is nothing but a political statement on the Trump administration — and one that shows that the globalist elite is in despair. After all, the South Africa-based non-profit organization is funded by the likes of Ford Foundation and the European Commission.