Center for American Progress

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Restoring Social Trust in Democracy

Democracy is under attack at home and abroad. We must act to ensure it is accessible to all, accountable, and can serve as a force of good.

A voting rights activist dresses as "Ms. Liberty," August 2021. (Getty/Alex Wong)
What We're Working On

What We're Doing

Increasing representation and access to our democracy

All Americans must have trust in elections and election results. All Americans also must have unimpeded access to the ballot box. That is why national voting standards are so important, along with laws that would protect against interference with valid election results.

Combating the spread of harmful dis- and misinformation

Disinformation, whether about COVID-19 or elections, undermines Americans’ safety and threatens our democracy. We seek to define the government’s role in combating it, give recommendations to online platforms to stem its spread, and support robust local media that can counter its worst effects.

Building a new framework to regulate online services

Americans’ lives are increasingly reliant on online services and affected by their economic, consumer, and civic harms. A robust regulatory framework, paired with new privacy protections and reinvigorated antitrust action, is needed to address the threats these services pose.

Countering violent political extremism

Countering insurgent threats is critical to maintaining our democracy. As part of this work, we have crafted a national blueprint with the McCain Institute to end white supremacist violence. Our plan draws on expertise across CAP and from more than 150 conversations with a diverse range of stakeholders.

By the numbers

59

Gerrymandering shifted an average of 59 seats in the U.S. House from 2012 to 2016.

Source: CAP, “Voter-Determined Districts” (2019).

Voter-Determined Districts

1 in 10

42 senators, representing only about 1/10 of the U.S. population, can filibuster popular bills.

Source: CAP, “The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking” (2019).

A thunderstorm passes over the U.S. Capitol building, July 2019. (A thunderstorm passes over the U.S. Capitol building)
The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking

30%

The U.S. population has grown by about 30% since the federal bench’s last meaningful expansion.

Source: CAP, “It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts” (2021).

A a statue of blind justice is seen outside the Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, September 2016. (Getty/AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts

81%

81% of voters believe tech companies have too much power and influence over politics and government.

Source: CAP Action, “Voters Support Enacting Stronger Consumer Protections Online” (2021).

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I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends Past Event
Book cover for I Disagree by Jessica Tarlov.

I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends

What does it take to be the lone liberal in a room full of conservatives?

Center for American Progress & Online via Zoom

Congress Should Put Commonsense Guardrails on Military Use of AI Article
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Congress Should Put Commonsense Guardrails on Military Use of AI

Congress should include robust guardrails in the fiscal year 2027 NDAA to ensure that the Department of Defense protects safety, ethics, and its legal obligations in developing military capabilities enabled by artificial intelligence.

Allison McManus

Montana’s Plan To Curb Election Spending In the News

Montana’s Plan To Curb Election Spending

Jon Tester explains how Montana is pursuing a plan to curb election spending without violating Citizens United.

The Progressive

Jon Tester

The Trump Administration’s Flawed List-Matching Practices Could Disenfranchise Voters and Undermine Confidence in U.S. Elections Article
Voters check in on the second day of early voting ahead of the midterm elections

The Trump Administration’s Flawed List-Matching Practices Could Disenfranchise Voters and Undermine Confidence in U.S. Elections

The Trump administration’s rushed—and likely illegal—push to confuse voters and convince election officials to purge the voter rolls oversteps its authority and risks disenfranchising eligible Americans ahead of the midterm elections.

Ben Hovland, Emma Hulbert

Prioritizing US Adversaries Over Allies Is a Losing Strategy In the News

Prioritizing US Adversaries Over Allies Is a Losing Strategy

In an op-ed published by The National Interest, Jonathan Fritz argues that by punishing long-term partners such as Canada while appeasing Beijing, the Trump administration is encouraging a heightened dependency on Chinese supply chains that undermines U.S. workers.

The National Interest

Jonathan Fritz

CAP’s Response to the FTC’s Proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on Personalized Pricing Article

CAP’s Response to the FTC’s Proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on Personalized Pricing

The Center for American Progress submitted comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed enforcement policy statement on personalized pricing, urging the commission to go beyond disclosure and establish stronger protections against harmful surveillance pricing.

Megan Shahi, Zoë Baird, Jared Bernstein

Boots Off Ballots: The Law In the News

Boots Off Ballots: The Law

In an op-ed published by Just Security, Dan Herman and Devon Ombres break down the current laws on military presence at polling sites as they apply to the federal military and the National Guard.

Just Security

Dan Herman, Devon Ombres

Trump’s fawning over Xi won’t advance U.S. interests In the News

Trump’s fawning over Xi won’t advance U.S. interests

In an op-ed published by MS NOW, Jonathan Fritz recaps the Trump-Xi summit, arguing that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit didn’t do much to advance U.S. interests on issues that really matter to Americans.

MS NOW

Jonathan Fritz

5 Ways the FTC Can Protect Americans From AI-Fueled Surveillance Pricing Report
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5 Ways the FTC Can Protect Americans From AI-Fueled Surveillance Pricing

As artificial intelligence makes surveillance pricing more intrusive, unfair, and opaque, the Federal Trade Commission should go beyond disclosure by limiting the harmful ways businesses can use personal data and giving consumers meaningful control over how their information is used to set prices.

Megan Shahi, Zoë Baird, Jared Bernstein

Flying Blind: The Peril of Trump’s Unprepared Approach to China In the News

Flying Blind: The Peril of Trump’s Unprepared Approach to China

In an op-ed for The Contrarian, Jonathan Fritz explains why President Trump's uncoordinated approach to diplomacy means his upcoming summit with Xi Jinping is unlikely to advance American interests.

The Contrarian

Jonathan Fritz

Down to the Roots: Building Rural Policy Around Rural Needs Past Event
A man walks through a field of soybeans at sunset.

Down to the Roots: Building Rural Policy Around Rural Needs

This event will explore what it means to invest in rural communities on their own terms and build a rural policy agenda rooted in resilience, opportunity, and shared prosperity.

Center for American Progress and online via Zoom

Protecting the 2026 Midterm Elections: The Role of Key State Officials Past Event
Election workers process ballots at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center in the state’s primary election on June 2, 2026. (Getty/Mario Tama)

Protecting the 2026 Midterm Elections: The Role of Key State Officials

The Center for American Progress is hosting a discussion with state officials about their critical work to ensure Americans can cast their ballots in November.

Center for American Progress and online via Zoom

Navigating the U.S.-China Relationship: A Conversation With Sen. Tammy Duckworth Past Event

Navigating the U.S.-China Relationship: A Conversation With Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Join the Center for American Progress to discuss the upcoming high-stakes talks and opportunities and challenges surrounding the U.S.-China relationship.

Center for American Progress and online via Zoom

Reforming National Security for the Future Past Event
Aerial view of the Pentagon building surrounded by parking lots and highways

Reforming National Security for the Future

Join the Center for American Progress to discuss how the United States can not only restore our security globally, but do it better.

Center for American Progress and online via Zoom

The Trump Administration’s Plan To Politicize Federal Grants Would Harm American Health and Innovation Report
A researcher works in a kinesiology and nutrition lab.

The Trump Administration’s Plan To Politicize Federal Grants Would Harm American Health and Innovation

A new proposed rule from the Trump administration would subject all federally funded grants and research to politically motivated decision-making, as well as violate the laws governing agency rulemaking and the constitutional rights of Americans.

Jill Rosenthal, Sara Partridge, Devon Ombres, 3 More Haley Norris, Mariam Rashid, Ryan Mulholland

The Trump Administration May Be Planning To Unlawfully Order Federal Troops or Agents To Interfere in the Midterm Elections Video

The Trump Administration May Be Planning To Unlawfully Order Federal Troops or Agents To Interfere in the Midterm Elections

The Trump administration may be planning to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or troops into polling places, a well-known tactic of authoritarian-minded leaders around the world. But people across the ideological spectrum should not give in to fear and should exercise their right to vote.

Michael Sozan, Hai-Lam Phan, Toni Pandolfo

Trump Wanted a European MAGA but May Get an Anti-American Europe Article
Supporters of the far-right AfD cheer.

Trump Wanted a European MAGA but May Get an Anti-American Europe

The Trump administration sees Germany’s far right as a European MAGA ally, but by empowering the AfD, it risks strengthening a nationalist movement that seeks to weaken American influence and reshape Europe on its own terms.

Robert Benson

Islamophobia Betrays American Values Article
Worshippers with folded arms and bowed heads stand shoulder to shoulder on prayer rugs laid over the ground.

Islamophobia Betrays American Values

Events between America’s founding and the 25th anniversary of 9/11—and actions still occurring today—illustrate both the promise of, and the threat to, religious freedom.

Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons

5 Quick Steps To Protect Your Right To Vote Article
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5 Quick Steps To Protect Your Right To Vote

As misinformation and confusion about election integrity continue to spread, citizens can work to strengthen American democracy by focusing on what matters most—that individuals are ready to vote.

Ben Hovland

Despite President Trump’s Claims of Foreign Election Interference, He Has No Legal Authority To Declare a National Emergency and Unilaterally Nationalize Elections Article

Despite President Trump’s Claims of Foreign Election Interference, He Has No Legal Authority To Declare a National Emergency and Unilaterally Nationalize Elections

The U.S. Constitution provides absolutely no basis for presidents to declare a national emergency to take control of elections and displace state rules.

Michael Sozan, Allison McManus, Dan Herman

The Trump Administration Is Weaponizing the U.S. Postal Service To Unconstitutionally Impair Voting by Mail Video

The Trump Administration Is Weaponizing the U.S. Postal Service To Unconstitutionally Impair Voting by Mail

Under a directive from President Donald Trump found unconstitutional by several federal judges, the U.S. Postal Service is preparing to implement a rule turning itself into an election enforcement agency.

Michael Sozan, Olivia Mowry, Toni Pandolfo

Over 150 Organizations Stand with Center for American Progress In the News

Over 150 Organizations Stand with Center for American Progress

A coalition of more than 150 civil society, advocacy, and nonpartisan groups have issued a joint statement defending First Amendment rights amid the administration’s legal attack on the Center for American Progress.

Nonprofits Together

How the Trump Administration Is Eroding the US Military Edge In the News

How the Trump Administration Is Eroding the US Military Edge

In an op-ed for The National Interest, Michael Schiffer explains how the Trump administration’s policies are compromising the nation’s military power and eroding the tools needed to address pressing security threats.

The National Interest

Michael Schiffer

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