US Added to Civicus Monitor Watchlist Amid Concerns Over Deteriorating Civic Freedoms

The United States Added to Civicus Monitor Watchlist

The United States has been added to the Civicus Monitor Watchlist, which identifies countries experiencing a rapid decline in civic freedoms. Civicus, a global civil rights watchdog, announced the inclusion of the US on its first watchlist of 2025, alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Italy, Pakistan, and Serbia.

The watchlist is part of the Civicus Monitor, which tracks developments in civic freedoms across 198 countries. Other countries previously featured on the watchlist include Zimbabwe, Argentina, El Salvador, and the United Arab Emirates.

The decision to add the US to the watchlist was made in response to the Trump administration's actions, which Civicus described as an "assault on democratic norms and global cooperation." The organization cited several actions, including the mass termination of federal employees, the appointment of Trump loyalists in key government positions, and the withdrawal from international efforts like the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council.

Civicus also pointed to the administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters and the unprecedented decision to control media access to presidential briefings. The organization described Trump's actions as an "unparalleled attack on the rule of law" and warned that these decisions would likely impact civic freedoms and reverse human rights gains.

The US currently has a "narrowed" rating on the Civicus Monitor, meaning that while citizens can exercise their civic freedoms, occasional violations occur. For part of Trump's first term, the US was categorized as "obstructed" due to the administration's response to the Black Lives Matter protests and restrictive state laws limiting the rights of environmental justice protesters.

Under Joe Biden, the classification went back to "narrowed," but as of Monday, the US has been placed on the watchlist due to the "significant deterioration" in civic freedoms. Tiwana noted that the US is again seemingly headed toward the "obstructed" category.

Civicus urges the United States to uphold the rule of law and respect constitutional and international human rights norms. The organization believes that the recent actions and statements made by the US administration could empower authoritarian regimes around the world, undermine constitutional principles, and embolden those who want to accumulate power and stay in power for as long as possible.