US Democracy Indicators Hit 50-Year Lows, Report Finds

Nearly half of the 30 indicators measuring U.S. democracy have fallen to their lowest levels in 50 years, according to a new report from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). The organization's annual Global State of Democracy report, released on September 15, 2026, identifies the United States as the most prominent example and accelerator of a global trend of democratic erosion. The report states that 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. The results have been far-reaching, undermining the rule of law domestically and internationally and testing longstanding alliances and multilateral cooperation. The U.S. decline is part of a broader global downturn. The report found that 57% of countries deteriorated in at least one key democratic indicator between 2020 and 2025. Last year marked the 11th consecutive year in which more countries declined than improved democratically, the longest such period since International IDEA's records began in 1975.