Trump administration policies threaten the exercise of human rights that are essential to democracy, Human Rights Watch said today as the country prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence. Human Rights Watch released a web feature that illustrates the breadth of new threats in 2026 alone.
"Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is an essential element of democracy," said Tanya Greene, US director at Human Rights Watch. "The Trump administration has been violating human rights across the board, including many that are intrinsically bound up with the meaningful exercise of democracy."
The administration has substantively undermined or threatened the rule of law, free speech and expression, the right to vote, and key oversight, accountability, and transparency mechanisms, Human Rights Watch said.
Human Rights Watch has investigated and documented myriad ways human rights in the United States are menaced by the current administration, including the elimination of federal civil rights remedies for discrimination, abusive, racist, and violent immigration enforcement, efforts to impose unwarranted restrictions on voter registration, and moves to impede the exercise of reproductive rights.
"The US should celebrate the nation's founding principles and promise," Greene said. "That includes acknowledging and challenging its failings and working to guarantee human rights and democracy for all."
