In a context of democratic erosion, U.S. civil society organizations face a widening array of legal, political, and security threats. They can learn from the experiences of civic activists in backsliding democracies around the world. Amid rising attacks on democratic norms and institutions, civil society organizations in the United States confront a widening array of threats. New restrictions on protest and attacks on freedom of expression have proliferated in recent years, particularly at the state level. Civil society organizations and activists are encountering legal and political intimidation tactics that are eerily similar to those used to harass and silence activists in Hungary, India, Türkiye, and other backsliding democracies. Former U.S. president Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric, his track record in government, and the proposals put forward by his political allies suggest that a second Trump administration could further accelerate these trends. No matter the outcome of the election, however, challenges are likely to persist at the state level. They call for concerted action by philanthropic actors and civil society organizations seeking to protect the U.S. nonprofit sector and civic freedoms more broadly.
