US not in position to portray itself as leader in democracy: professor

WASHINGTON -- The United States is not in a position to portray itself as a leader in terms of democracy, Duke University professor Bruce Jentleson has recently said.

Jentleson made the comments when speaking to Al Jazeera earlier this week, which wrote in an article that the so-called "Summit for Democracy" led by the United States "may sit awkwardly for some attendees, even among allies."

"Some countries will say, 'Wait a second United States -- who are you to make us accountable on democracy? Some of us have problems, but your problems are much worse than ours," the professor pointed out.

Jentleson added the United States are challenging the fundamentals of its system, with restricting voting rights, political violence, death threats to not only prominent people but school board members and local elections officials.

Jentleson and other analysts, according to Al Jazeera, also lamented such an "invitation-only" gathering puts a misguided emphasis on divisive ideological differences at a time when global cooperation is sorely needed.

In November, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance for the first time listed the U.S. as a "backsliding democracy," citing a "visible deterioration" that began in 2019.