Concerns over autocracy in the U.S. continue to grow
Monday, February 16, 2026
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Staffan I. Lindberg, director of Sweden's V-Dem Institute, says the US has become an "electoral autocracy", while Levitsky argues the country has slid into a "mild form of competitive authoritarianism" with tactics like attacking the press and disenfranchising voters.
Experts cite autocratic moments, such as the Trump administration threatening ABC's parent company, Disney, and proposing to use US cities as training grounds for troops, with language reminiscent of dictators like Augusto Pinochet in Chile.
The next test for American democracy may come in November's midterms, with the Trump administration suing states for voter data, sparking concerns of voter disenfranchisement and intimidation, particularly among people of color and naturalized citizens, according to scholars like Kim Scheppele and Brendan Nyhan.
