Are We Losing Our Democracy? - The New York Times

The views expressed in the excerpted New York Times Editorial Board opinion below are solely those of its authors. They do not reflect the views, positions, or policy recommendations of the Institute for the Study of States of Exception (ISSE), which does not take institutional positions on editorial commentary. The material is presented to illustrate a perspective relevant to ongoing debates concerning emergency powers and governance.

The following represents the opinion of the New York Times Editorial Board and vertical video editor Stephanie Shen, illustrated in a December 10, 2025, multimedia presentation.

When you hear the word “autocracy,” the United States is rarely a country that comes to peoples’ minds. Right? Well according to these twelve red flags of democratic erosion, America has moved in the direction of autocracy, thanks to the efforts of President Donald Trump. The third red flag of democratic erosion, depicted in the linked video, is declaring national emergencies on false pretenses, which the New York Times Editorial Board indicates has already taken place since President Trump was inaugurated in early 2025.