12 ways the Trump administration dismantled civil rights law and the foundations of inclusive democracy in its first year

At its one-year mark, the Trump administration is dismantling the systems that once helped the US move toward a more open and equal democracy.

By: Spencer Overton, George Washington University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 16, 2026

Words: 1,238

Last Updated: 2 months ago

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By Spencer Overton, George Washington University

One year after Donald Trump’s second inauguration, a pattern emerges. Across dozens of executive orders, agency memos, funding decisions and enforcement changes, the administration has weakened federal civil rights law and the foundations of the country’s racially inclusive democracy.

From the start, the U.S. was not built to include everyone equally. The Constitution protected and promoted slavery. Most states limited voting to white men. Congress restricted naturalized …

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