US Placed on Global Watchlist for Declining Civic Freedoms

By Staff, Agencies

The United States has been added to the Civicus Monitor Watchlist, which tracks countries experiencing a rapid decline in civic freedoms.

The global civil rights watchdog, Civicus, announced on Monday that the US joins Italy, Pakistan, Serbia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on its first watchlist of 2025.

Civicus monitors civic space across 198 countries, assessing freedoms related to peaceful assembly, association and expression.

The US currently holds a “narrowed” rating, meaning civic freedoms exist but face periodic restrictions.

However, Civicus warns that recent actions under the Trump administration may push the country toward an “obstructed” classification, a status it held during Trump’s first term.

The watchdog cited mass federal employee dismissals, the appointment of loyalists to key government roles, withdrawal from international organizations, and crackdowns on media access as indicators of a worsening civic climate.

The Trump administration’s response to pro-Palestinian protests and restrictions on dissent were also highlighted as threats to democratic norms.

Civicus warned that these measures undermine constitutional principles, embolden authoritarian regimes, and erode the rule of law, urging the US government to uphold human rights standards.