The Democracy Index

March 21, 2025

Are we witnessing the dismantling of America? Each week, so far, in The Democracy Index, we have cataloged the various degradations our institutions and constitutional order have suffered under Donald Trump. We view our role as soberly taking stock of the state of affairs (and affairs of state), then synthesizing what is happening.

The question of whether we are in a “constitutional crisis” became particularly salient this week, in part due to the trials and tribulations of the Democratic leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer. The disagreement among Democrats over whether Schumer took the correct approach in handling government funding quickly expanded into a broader debate about the severity of the threat the Trump Administration poses.

Irrespective of that political debate, we are undoubtedly facing perilous times. The ideals, institutions, norms, and procedures that are inexorably intertwined in the fabric of the American democratic spirit are being tested. You don’t need to be a lawyer or democracy scholar to see this. It’s self-evident.

The simple reality is this is an ongoing struggle. Each week, we will have new stories demonstrating the ravages Trump, Musk, and their gang are wreaking upon the country and the harms they are causing for Americans of all stripes. But what is equally important is the struggle to maintain our democracy and way of life, and to protect the free country we cherish that has survived — perhaps improbably — for nearly 250 years. So this week, we will also show the dangers are being countered.

Notably, the Trump DOJ continues to flirt with the notion of defying court orders. The district court in Washington, DC, is still sorting out what happened when planes carrying detained immigrants landed in El Salvador apparently after the judge had issued a ruling directing the government to turn them around. Those shenanigans have been followed by loose talk from Trump of “bad judges,” and ongoing threats from him, Musk, Stephen Miller, and others to impeach judges who rule against the Administration.

Equally important is the fact that the White House continues to insist it is following court orders. It remains to be seen whether they will follow through on that instinct, when push comes to shove. But at a minimum, it reflects a desire, for the moment, of appearing to respect the rule of law — perhaps betraying a recognition of the support the rule of law and the judiciary holds among the public. Indeed, recent polling also reflects that fact. And Trump’s call to impeach judges he dislikes drew a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts, a man loathe to enter the fray of politics or speak outside the courtroom.

None of this minimizes the extraordinary damage Trump and his enablers are administering to the judicial system. His speech at DOJ last Friday airing grievances, personally attacking lawyers (including our colleague, friend, and publisher Norm Eisen), and talking about prosecuting perceived political enemies was chilling. The government appears to be ignoring basic due process when it comes to deportations, and the government’s arguments before Judge Boasberg look risible.

It is essential, however, for us to broaden the scope outside the purely legal. The Administration is taking a wrecking ball to services and institutions Americans rely on for essentials, as well as the fundamentals of American civic life. For example, this week:

• An Executive Order directed at the evisceration of the Department of Education

• The Trump Administration targeted private universities — canceling $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University; pausing $175 million for the University of Pennsylvania; and Johns Hopkins cut research after losing $800 million in USAID grants

• Trump began dismantling Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia

• The Administration is implementing policies at the Social Security Administration — no longer verifying identities over the phone, but instead requiring online verification or in-person identity checks for new and existing recipients — that, contrary to their claims, will make this system less efficient, and actually serve the purpose of dismantling the program

Each of these actions will grievously damage people — ruining livelihoods, immiserating those most in need, depriving individuals of opportunity while stifling free expression and the dissemination of reliable information.

As news of these plans spreads, and as some of these actions get implemented, those harms are becoming increasingly apparent. And people are starting to rise up. We’ve seen citizens throughout the country emerge with righteous fury at town halls protesting DOGE’s slapdash cuts; support for immigrant and LGBTQ rights; and, USA Today reported, since March 1 “thousands have shown up at national parks to protest staffing cuts that have resulted in fewer services for the public.” On April 5, a number of activists and organizations are planning a day of nationwide protest, featuring marches in Washington, DC and around the country. Slowly but steadily, the stirrings of mass mobilization are emerging.

Quieter local acts of community, courage, and communication are as important as the public national displays. The Founding Fathers, looking back at their own history, worried that a large country could not sustain a democracy — democracy is fundamentally built amongst people, within communities, where information can be shared and trust can be built. Trump exploits regional and cultural divisions in our country and takes advantage of the cacophony of the media sphere. That’s why some of the most impactful acts we take to strengthen democracy may appear modest — showing up at civic events, getting engaged in local politics, representing the values you believe your community should stand for. These are some of the small, unshowy steps that can help restore trust in and buttress our institutions, in our ideals — and ultimately, ourselves.

Until next week,

The Democracy Index team