Human Rights Watch Critiques Trump's Undermining of Democracy

Human Rights Watch Annual Report on U.S. Democracy

By Daphne Psaledakis

Criticism of Trump's Policies

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has attacked key pillars of his country's democracy, Human Rights Watch warned on Wednesday in its annual report, citing the Republican president's immigration crackdown, threats to voting rights and other policies.

Global Implications of U.S. Actions

Human Rights Watch Executive Director Philippe Bolopion said global democracy was now back at 1985 levels, according to some metrics. He said Russia, China and the United States were all less free than 20 years ago, and 72% of the world's population was now living under autocracy.

"It's actually incredible to see how the Trump administration has really undermined all the pillars of U.S. democracy, all the checks and balances on power," Bolopion told reporters. 

"We see a sort of very hostile environment in the U.S. and a very rapid decline of ... the quality of democracy in this country."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bolopion also said in the report that the Trump administration had leaned on racist tropes and "embraced policies and rhetoric that align with white nationalist ideology."

He criticized what he said was degrading treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers, the killing of two people in Minneapolis, and the deportation of hundreds of migrants to a mega-prison in El Salvador known for its harsh conditions, among other elements of Trump's immigration crackdown.

Masked immigration officers, often in tactical military-style gear, have become a common sight across the U.S. and protests have erupted in several cities.

Trump's hardline immigration agenda was a potent campaign issue that helped him win a return to the White House in 2024. Trump wanted Americans to feel safe in their communities and had pledged to remove "dangerous criminal aliens" from the U.S., a spokesperson said in defense of his immigration policy last week.

Human Rights Watch also cited strikes on suspected drug boats and criticized Trump for turning Venezuela over to President Nicolas Maduro's deputy after his capture, which Bolopion told reporters in a news conference was "risking a new human rights disaster."

Trump has said he should get the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to broker peace in a number of global conflicts. Human Rights Watch was skeptical, saying he had downplayed serious human rights violations by Russia in Ukraine, done nothing to stop atrocities in Sudan, and failed to pressure the Israeli government to stop crimes in Gaza, where Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of committing genocide and extermination. Israel has repeatedly rejected any accusation of genocide.

Elsewhere, the report said Chinese authorities systematically denied freedom of expression, freedom of religion and other rights, while Russia had further intensified a crackdown on dissent and civil society.

But in 2026 "the fight for the future of human rights will play out most sharply in the U.S., with consequences for the rest of the world," Bolopion said.

"Many Western allies have chosen to stay silent on U.S. actions because they fear increasing tariffs and weakening alliances. What we urgently need now is a strong global alliance of countries promoting human rights and the rules-based world order."

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)