US civic health rating downgraded after year of ‘restrictive‘ Trump actions | US news
A coalition of global nongovernmental organizations downgraded the United States’ civilian health rating from “decrepit” to “disabled.”
Civicus, a nonprofit organization that monitors civil liberties in 198 countries, placed the United States in the “obstructed” category in a report released Tuesday. The group stated that “after a year of sweeping executive actions, restrictive laws and aggressive crackdowns on freedom of expression and dissent… fundamental freedoms have deteriorated sharply in the country.”
The shift comes just months after Civicus rated the U.S. “constricted” (one step above “obstructed”) in July. Civicus gives each country a score for its civic space conditions using five classifications: “open,” “constricted,” “obstructed,” “suppressed,” and “closed.”
According to the group, a “blocked” ranking applies to countries where civic space is heavily contested. Civil society organizations still exist, but state authorities undermine them through illegal surveillance, bureaucratic harassment, and derogatory public statements.
“Citizens can organize and assemble peacefully, but they are vulnerable to the frequent use of excessive force by law enforcement, including rubber bullets, tear gas and batons,” the rating statement said. in question.
Regarding the media, he added: “There is some room for non-state media and editorial independence, but journalists face charges of physical assault and criminal defamation, which encourages self-censorship.”
The report cited militaristic crackdowns on protests in the United States, citing Donald Trump’s deployment of the national guard to Los Angeles and other cities, as well as the widespread use of ICE agents at gatherings and among immigrant communities.
It also highlighted increasing restrictions on freedom of expression on university campuses, particularly in Palestinian solidarity activism.
“Universities have expelled student groups and opened investigations on broad and vague charges such as ‘funding of terrorism.’ Foreign students and faculty have been disproportionately targeted, facing disciplinary penalties, visa threats and professional reprisals for supporting Palestinian rights, the report said.
Civicus also warned that media freedoms were under increasing pressure across the country, citing the Federal Communications Commission’s decision. threats of cancellation broadcast licenses and Trump’s lawsuits against various media companies.
He also pointed out that Trump had canceled funding for public broadcasters, including NPR and PBS, and the new White House Wire, an administration-run news site that had published positive stories about him.
“These actions, coupled with efforts to divert critical channels from core government functions and foreign travel, reflect a systematic attempt to dominate the media landscape and silence independent journalism,” Civicus said.
Speaking about the latest classification, Civivus general secretary Mandeep Tiwana said: “The decline in the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in the US is truly alarming. We are witnessing a rapid and systematic attempt to suppress civil liberties that Americans take for granted, such as criticizing authorities and peacefully protesting.”
He continued: “As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, we call on the government to restore and uphold the civil liberties enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.”
With the new classification, the USA joined 39 “disabled” countries this year, including Hungary, Brazil and South Africa.
