Former U.S. President Barack Obama recently sounded the alarm about the growing crisis facing American democracy. In an interview at a civics event in Connecticut, Obama said the actions of U.S. government officials are sliding toward the opposite of a free democratic system, warning that such behavior is not only "becoming more consistent with autocratic regimes" but also dangerously close to becoming normalized. He went on to emphasize that true "freedom" isn't about a left-wing agenda but about upholding the rule of law, judicial independence, press freedom, the right to assemble, and a pluralistic society where compromise and coexistence are central.