In a stark assessment, Harvard professors Steve Levitsky and Erica Chenoweth launched a new series analyzing American democracy, with Levitsky declaring the U.S. has descended into competitive authoritarianism. He cited the Trump administration's six-month pattern of threatening media, suing universities, and purging NGOs as weaponizing the state, drawing comparisons to Hugo Chávez, Viktor Orbán, and Recep Erdoğan.

The day before their discussion, the No Kings protest mobilized an estimated 2600 locations nationwide. Chenoweth highlighted the movement's use of tactical frivolity—inflatable animals, costumes, and festive energy—as a strategic tool. Research shows such an approach lowers participation barriers, making protests feel more like a party than a scary confrontation, even under threat of paramilitary violence.

This massive, peaceful mobilization seemingly confirms robust free speech. Yet Levitsky countered that many Democratic donors, law firms, and figures like Jim Comey and Letitia James now think twice about exercising legal rights due to fear of retaliation. The recent pardon of January 6th insurrectionists served as a clear message that political violence on behalf of the president will be tolerated.

Levitsky stressed that institutions are merely paper without constant defense. The conundrum is clear: a vibrant protest culture exists alongside a systematic erosion of democratic norms through state aggression and the intimidation of opposition, a combination he identified as the hallmark of the current hybrid regime.