New Trump policy abandons norms that helped democracy take root around the globe.

After attacking elections at home, Trump ends support for fair elections abroad.

Last week the U.S. State Department took its latest step in reversing a 40-year policy of supporting free and fair elections abroad. Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed U.S. diplomats’ not to comment on the fairness, integrity, or democratic values of another country’s elections. This prohibition follows deep cuts to aid programs that funded independent election monitoring and other support for new democracies.

International election observation emerged in the 1980s and played a key role in the huge expansion of democracy that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Observation teams repeatedly demonstrated that foreign pressure could deter and protect against fraud. This development increased confidence in elections, creating new possibilities for resolving long-standing conflicts in countries like South Africa and ending communist dictatorships through much of Central and Eastern Europe.

The United States, other nations, and nongovernmental organizations like the National Democratic Institute and the Carter Center, have supported observation missions in more than 100 countries. Wealthier democracies including the U.S. have opened their own elections to observers from other countries – illustrating mutual commitment to shared standards.

The Election Reformers Network grew out of deep connections to this important tradition. Many of ERN’s founders bring extensive experience in international election observation, with board members Larry Garber and Eric Bjornlund and advisor Patrick Merloe having played particularly pioneering roles. Bjornlund, author of Beyond Free and Fair: Monitoring Elections and Building Democracy, had this response to Rubio’s announcement:

"The international election monitoring movement represents humanity's shared aspiration for self-ruled governance, advancing our moral obligation to support democratic transitions worldwide. Secretary Rubio's recent directive to silence American diplomats on election integrity abroad represents a fundamental abdication of U.S. leadership, precisely when authoritarian regimes worldwide are increasingly weaponizing sham elections to legitimize their rule. "

In addition to the humanitarian value of fair elections, a more democratic world is clearly in America’s self-interest. Democracies rarely fight wars with each other, produce fewer refugees, and comprise the majority of America’s key international trading partners. Supporting the development and maintenance of democratic institutions, therefore, advances the economic and security interests of the United States.

The Trump administration claims that its change in policy will respect the “national sovereignty” of other countries. However, the Declaration of Principles for International Observation (championed by The Carter Center and other leaders in the field) makes clear that “Genuine democratic elections are an expression of sovereignty, which belongs to the people of a country, the free expression of whose will provides the basis for the authority and legitimacy of government...”

The abdication of US leadership for fair elections abroad will hurt aspiring democracies and undermine a stable, norms-based international environment, echoing the profound damage to US elections caused by the President’s attacks on the legally verified 2020 results.

At Election Reformers Network, we will continue to advance our central mission of designing better U.S. election structures. But today, we embrace our connection to the global community of democracies, linking arms to create a better world. As authoritarian regimes grow more sophisticated, our global alliances and shared democratic norms are critical. Independent election monitoring and collective commitment to shared standards must not be silenced—they must be supported, now more than ever.

Kevin Johnson is the founding executive director of Election Reformers Network and a former international election observer.