Experts issue code red warning on US midterm elections
Monday, February 16, 2026
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The US has slid into a "mild form of competitive authoritarianism", according to Harvard University professor Steven Levitsky, who cites tactics like attacking the press and disenfranchising voters, with examples including the Trump administration's threat against ABC parent company Disney in September.
Experts like Levitsky and Princeton University sociologist Kim Scheppele warn that the next big test of American democracy could come during the midterms, with Scheppele drawing parallels to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's authoritarian tactics, including disenfranchising opposition voters.
Dartmouth College professor Brendan Nyhan notes that the high-stakes nature of Election Day, with "no do-overs", underscores the urgency of addressing these concerns, as Trump's language and proposals, such as using cities as "training grounds" for troops, have drawn comparisons to dictators like Augusto Pinochet, according to Levitsky.
