Elizabeth Sutterlin

As I told @josephcox.bsky.social for this piece, if DHS is concerned that the actions of their own officers might inflame public opinion against the agency, they should work to increase oversight and accountability at the agency — rather than seek to have the evidence banned.

The WHITE HOUSE (i) institutional and individual funders, and officers and employees of organizations, that are responsible for, sponsor, or otherwise aid and abet the principal actors engaging in the criminal conduct described in subsections (a) and (b) of this section; and (ii) non-governmental organizations and American citizens residing abroad or with close ties to foreign governments, agents, citizens, foundations, or influence networks engaged in violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.) or money laundering by funding, creating, or supporting entities that engage in activities that support or encourage domestic terrorism.

The WHITE HOUSE (;) The Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (Commissioner) shall take action to ensure that no tax-exempt entities are directly or indirectly financing political violence or domestic terrorism. In addition, where applicable, the Commissioner shall ensure that the Internal Revenue Service refers such organizations, and the employees and officers of such organizations, to the Department of Justice for investigation and possible prosecution.

This is Russia, Hungary or Turkey: use threats of terror to go after organizations including NGOs and “funders.” Use IRS to threaten nonprofit status. Educational institutions specifically mentioned. Silence dissent in the name of defending American values.

The president is intentionally killing non-combatants who pose no direct threat in violation of domestic, international and military law and his VP and chief policy adviser are promising an authoritarian crackdown on his political opponents. Just today.

Democracy and the rule of law are on the line

the great missing thru-line in media reporting remains trump's assault on fact & reality. it's weird, because it's a decade-long failure, yet fact is essential to the press' role in democracy. it's just a consistent, repeated failure to articulate for the public that propaganda *is the policy*.

The BLS firing is a textbook example of how personalist authoritarianism causes policy nightmares. It's like Trump is trying to prove why liberal democratic guardrails aren't some kind of luxury, but essential for good governance

USAID Shutdown Costs Top $6 Billion, Internal Estimate Shows The estimate, included in a seven-page memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, raises questions about how much President Donald Trump will ultimately save taxpayers by closing USAID and othe...

Dismantling USAID will *cost* $6 billion according to internal Trump administration memos
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...

US state department told to terminate nearly all its overseas pro-democracy programs Exclusive: All but two of the programs awarded under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor would be cut, affecting nearly $1.3bn in grants

This would be the death blow to the Bureau of Democracy, Rights and Labor at State www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump Urges Congress to ‘Kill’ Voice of America as Its Leader Defends Gutting It

Full blown authoritarian dictatorship now, not even trying to hide that they want to shut down independent media that doesn’t trot out Trumpian propaganda. #USA www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/u...

Tunnel Vision: Anti-censorship Tools, End-to-End Encryption and the Fight for a Free and Open Internet Governments around the world are increasingly exerting control over the technology that people depend on to access the free and open internet.

Excited to share FH's new report on the rise of restrictions on anti-censorship and encryption tools! It digs deep into data on the legal and technical means governments are using to limit access to these tools in order to undermine the free and open internet.
freedomhouse.org/report/speci...

Violating international law really only matters insofar as it has consequences for people. It is better to live in a world where leaders think aggressive war is illegitimate. The alternative is an even greater nightmare, somehow.

Opinion | No One Has Ever Defeated Autocracy From the Sidelines

No One Has Ever Defeated Autocracy From the Sidelines www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/o...

Opinion | What I Learned in China: Obedience Gets You Nowhere

My piece in today's NYT, in which I urge Americans to show courage in front of Trump. Being courageous is not simply a display of moral strength. It is also an effective strategy: www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/o...

📣 NEW: Around the world, autocrats are detaining, prosecuting, and imprisoning legal and judicial professionals as part of a larger assault on the rule of law.

Our new analysis breaks down these attacks and how the democratic community should respond: freedomhouse.org/article/just...

Data localization: A Global Threat to Human Rights Online - Global Network Initiative As more and more governments turn to data localization, these laws’ negative impact on digital rights are becoming increasingly clear. The multistakeholder community must come together to devise right...

🔴 Read our latest Confluence blog post "Data localization: A Global Threat to Human Rights Online" by Freedom House's Community Engagement Specialist Maddie Masinsin and GNI Senior Fellow Ramsha Jahangir.
globalnetworkinitiative.org/data-localiz...

To Protect Online Expression During Elections, Engage Civil Society Election commissions should look to South Africa for lessons on how to advance free expression and access to information online.

FH research has laid out how policymakers can protect online expression and information during elections. Whatever steps they take, engaging civil society strengthens outcomes for free expression and access to info. I break down lessons from South Africa here: freedomhouse.org/article/prot...

⚡ NOW ONLINE: We’re pleased to announce a new template to report surveillance technologies used to violate human rights.

Learn more about this tool to protect human rights defenders and journalists and hold perpetrators accountable: freedomhouse.org/article/free...

📣 NEW: #FreedomInTheWorld 2025 is now LIVE!

freedomhouse.org/report/freed...

Violence and repression around elections, ongoing armed conflicts, and the spread of authoritarian practices contributed to the 19th consecutive year of global freedom in decline.

(1/🧵)

STATEMENT: We reaffirm our solidarity with the heroic people of Ukraine as Russia's illegal full-scale invasion enters its fourth year.

A commitment to Ukrainian victory, on Ukraine’s terms, is the only acceptable outcome.

Full statement: freedomhouse.org/article/free...

With US Commitment to Internet Freedom in Jeopardy, China and Russia Set to Gain | TechPolicy.Press US leadership on internet freedom and the free flow of information in doubt, write Ramsha Jahangir and Justin Hendrix.

US leadership on internet freedom and the free flow of information is in doubt, write Ramsha Jahangir and Justin Hendrix. Experts are concerned the US will cede important ground to China and Russia.

Health Programs Shutter Around the World After Trump Pauses Foreign Aid Lifesaving treatment and prevention programs for tuberculosis, malaria, H.I.V. and other diseases cannot access funds to continue work.

This NYT piece describes the devastation being wrought in the global health sector by the foreign assistance freeze. Let me say a few words about what this looks like in the sector I work in, often called democracy and governance (DRG). 🧵