The United States has experienced a notable fall in its ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), reaching its poorest position since the index was revamped with a new methodology in 2012. In the most recent annual evaluation, the US slipped to 29th place out of 182 countries assessed, tying with the Bahamas and trailing behind Lithuania (28th), Barbados (24th), and Uruguay (17th).
This ongoing decline in the CPI ranking spans the last decade and reflects increased concerns about the integrity of the public sector within the US. Among factors contributing to the downturn is the reduction in federal government capacity to address public sector corruption during the previous administration. Key actions included suspension of investigations into corporate foreign bribery and restrictions on the enforcement of a foreign agent registration statute.
Under the current presidency, there has been criticism around institutional weakening and the use of governmental mechanisms against political opponents, further amplifying perceptions of erosion in public sector integrity. The CPI, which grades countries on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), saw the US score drop to 64, the lowest recorded in the index’s recently structured format.
Maíra Martini, the CEO of Transparency International, voiced apprehension about the continuing negative trajectory, cautioning that the adverse trend may persist. The organization's statement raised additional alarms about actions that appear to target independent voices and compromise judicial independence, issues that have surfaced beyond the recent CPI data timeline.
Additionally, Enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been temporarily reduced, which Transparency International interprets as signaling an increased tolerance for corrupt business practices. Furthermore, diminishing US support for international civil society initiatives has reportedly weakened global anti-corruption endeavors.
Transparency International also drew attention to similar deteriorations in public sector corruption perceptions among other democratic nations. Canada and the United Kingdom, in particular, have witnessed troubling declines. The UK, maintaining its 20th position, recorded its lowest CPI score (70) to date following years of sustained decrease.
Daniel Bruce, leader of the UK chapter of Transparency International, highlighted root causes like significant political donations and questionable government appointments. He specifically referenced the ongoing police investigation into former government minister Peter Mandelson, accused of passing sensitive information to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a matter that has unsettled the current administration led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Bruce urged stronger governmental measures to eliminate the undue influence of substantial monetary contributions on UK politics.
Globally, the average CPI score reached its lowest level in over a decade, falling to 42. Transparency International attributed this to widespread failure across nations to adequately control corruption. Denmark continued to lead the index for the eighth consecutive year with a top score of 89, followed by Finland and Singapore as the second and third cleanest public sectors, respectively.
It is important to note that the CPI assesses the public sector specifically, and therefore high-ranking countries may still face significant challenges with corruption in private sectors. Switzerland and Singapore, for example, have come under scrutiny for facilitating illicit financial flows despite their higher public sector rankings.