INTERVIEW/U.S. democracy faces unprecedented threat under Trump: Tang Prize laureate

New Haven, Connecticut, June 18 (CNA) Renowned American scholar Bruce Ackerman said he believes the United States is facing the gravest threat to its democracy in the country's history, as he reflected on receiving the 2026 Tang Prize in Rule of Law.

Ackerman, a Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale Law School, was awarded the prize Thursday for his contributions to scholarship on constitutional governance and the rule of law.

Speaking to CNA ahead of the announcement, Ackerman said the honor carried particular significance because he became the first American recipient of the award at a moment when he believes U.S. democracy is facing its gravest crisis.

"Why is it that of all times when American democracy is most endangered, you've turned and considered me?" the 82-year-old Ackerman said.

"American democracy has never been endangered so profoundly in its 250 years of history," he said, arguing that democrats with differing political views must unite in opposition to developments under U.S. President Donald Trump.

The example Ackerman cited was Trump's handling of the war with Iran. He said Trump's bombing of Iran exemplified a president exercising enormous war powers without sufficient democratic deliberation or congressional oversight.

But Trump's erosion of democracy in the U.S. went beyond ignoring constitutional restraints, argued Ackerman, who has also focused on both constitutional law and democratic governance during his career.

He criticized the administration for announcing the Iran war on social media rather than through traditional constitutional channels.

Though many scholars have responded to Trump by criticizing individual policies while maintaining what Ackerman described as a "balanced view," he said the challenge was far more fundamental.

At stake, he argued, is the international order established by the U.S. and its allies after World War II, as well as broader questions about the future of democratic governance.

Those concerns have shaped much of Ackerman's work over his nearly 50-year career at Yale, during which a central question has remained constant: how democratic societies can respond to evolving crises while preserving constitutional legitimacy and the rule of law.

His scholarship has explored constitutional change, democratic participation and the concentration of executive power, themes that have become increasingly relevant as democracies around the world confront political polarization and populist movements.

Among the dangers facing democracies today, he pointed to unchecked executive authority, weakening international institutions and the decline of constructive public debate.

These have given rise to an even more fundamental pursuit.

"The whole point of my recent work is to encourage people to consider real world opportunities for constructive development in the light of the clear and present danger of terrible tragedies, which are our alternative," he said.

Trump's recent actions in Iran and the Middle East illustrate those challenges, and the broader deterioration of the postwar international order poses particular risks for smaller democracies, he said.

The weakening of international cooperation has increased pressure on smaller powers, making regional partnerships and democratic solidarity more important than ever. Taiwan, he added, is especially affected by those developments.

Despite his warnings, Ackerman believes the conditions exist for improving democracy's long-term prospects.

Rising levels of education and access to information provide a powerful resource for meaningful democratic participation, provided societies develop institutions that encourage thoughtful public engagement, he said.

Only about 10 percent of citizens are deeply engaged in politics, according to Ackerman, leaving many others vulnerable to manipulation unless structural changes facilitate more informed participation.

One proposal he has championed is "Deliberation Day," a national holiday before elections that would allow citizens to examine competing political arguments and discuss public issues in small groups before casting their votes.

Such efforts, he argued, could help counter polarization and strengthen democratic decision-making.

Looking ahead to his visit to Taiwan during Tang Prize Week in September, Ackerman said he hopes to learn from Taiwanese scholars and students as much as he shares his own ideas.

Taiwan's position between China, Japan and India makes it an important place from which to understand the challenges facing democracy and constitutional government in Asia, he said.

Asked what advice he would give young scholars, Ackerman urged them to build on their existing strengths rather than simply follow intellectual trends.

"Develop your strengths," he said. "Show that you can positively contribute."