The US just hit its worst-ever corruption ranking, and the reason experts are alarmed is deeply unsettling

The United States recorded its lowest-ever position in a major global index measuring public sector corruption, a development that experts say raises serious concerns about the strength of American institutions. As reported by CNN, the decline marks a significant milestone in a trend that has been unfolding for years.

In Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, the US slipped to 29th place out of 182 countries. That is the lowest ranking the country has held since 2012, when the index adopted its current methodology, and it places the US in a tie with the Bahamas while trailing nations such as Lithuania, Barbados, and Uruguay.

The country’s overall score also fell to a record low of 64 on a scale where 100 represents a very clean public sector, and zero indicates high corruption. The drop continues a downward trajectory that has persisted for nearly a decade and has increasingly drawn scrutiny from global watchdogs.

The slide has alarmed anti-corruption experts

Transparency International linked the decline in part to actions taken since President Trump returned to office, arguing that federal institutions have been weakened and enforcement tools redirected. The organization pointed to pauses in investigations into corporate foreign bribery and the curtailing of enforcement related to foreign agent registration requirements. This comes amid continued political turbulence, including a report that a new study claims Trump-era regulatory changes quietly cost consumers billions.

The group also warned that weakening the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act sends a signal of tolerance toward corrupt business practices. Cuts to US aid supporting overseas civil society groups were cited as another factor undermining global anti-corruption efforts.

Transparency International CEO Maíra Martini said the organization is deeply concerned about developments in the United States and warned that the downward trend could continue. The report also raised alarms about steps taken against independent institutions and judicial safeguards, even if some recent developments are not fully reflected in the current index.

The US decline mirrors broader global patterns, with other major democracies also seeing setbacks. Canada and the United Kingdom both posted weaker results, and the global average CPI score fell to 42, its lowest level in more than a decade, underscoring Transparency International’s conclusion that most countries are failing to control corruption. While political discourse evolves, minor scandals like the FCC’s new probe into broadcast programming reflect ongoing domestic media scrutiny.

The UK recorded its lowest CPI score on record at 70, although it held steady at 20th place in the rankings. Daniel Bruce, CEO of Transparency International UK, criticized what he described as a failure to address the root causes of political corruption, citing the influence of major political donors and questionable public appointments.

At the top of the index, Denmark ranked first for the eighth consecutive year with a score of 89, followed by Finland and Singapore. Transparency International noted that even high-scoring countries are not immune to scrutiny, particularly when it comes to the role of private sectors in facilitating illicit financial flows.