PoliticsAlarming Results: Over a Third of Non-Trump Voters Fear the U.S. Is Becoming a Dictatorship
A poll showed over a third of non-Trump voters believe the U.S. is slipping into a dictatorship.
Aug. 31 2025, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
A recent YouGov poll reveals alarming sentiments among Americans regarding the state of democracy in the United States.
More than a third of those who don't support President Donald Trump believe the nation has devolved into a "dictatorship."
A controversial military parade marked the U.S. Army's 250th and Trump's 79th birthday.
Critics of Trump have often accused him of authoritarian behavior, a sentiment echoed in the remarks of California Governor Gavin Newsom. After Trump threatened to have him arrested earlier this month, Newsom fired back during an interview on the "Meidas Touch" podcast.
"Was that said by Erdogan?! Who was that said by?!? Was that some dictator, some authoritarian in the history books? Or was that said by the President of the United States?" he asked, emphasizing the absurdity of Trump's claims.
The recent criticism has surged, particularly following a controversial military parade held to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, which coincided with Trump's 79th birthday. Observers likened the event to spectacles typically associated with dictatorial regimes.
Governor Gavin Newsom compared the President's remarks to those of a dictator.
Analyzing responses from June 16-18, the YouGov poll shows concerning data that indicates increasing fears about dictatorship under Trump.
Respondents faced the question: "Do you agree or disagree with the following?"
When presented with the statement "The U.S. is a dictatorship," 24 percent of overall respondents agreed. However, this percentage jumps to over a third once Republicans and Trump supporters are factored out.
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37 percent of Kamala Harris voters believe the U.S. has become a dictatorship.
The statistics tell a clearer story among party lines: 35 percent of Democrats and 30 percent of self-identified Independents believe that the U.S. is already a dictatorship. In stark contrast, only 7 percent of Trump voters concur. Meanwhile, a startling 37 percent of those who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris shared the view that America has descended into dictatorship.
A February 2025 YouGov poll found just 18 percent saw the U.S. as a dictatorship, including 27 pecent of Democrats.
This upward trend is particularly striking when compared to earlier data. In a YouGov poll conducted from February 3-6, 2025, just 18 percent overall agreed that the U.S. is a dictatorship. Among Democrats, that figure was only 27 percent, with Independents at 18 percent.
As the gap between perspectives widens, the notion of America as a democracy faces increasing scrutiny and skepticism.
