RSF: U.S. Press Freedom Hits Historic Low, Global Decline Intensifies
Reporters Without Borders places the U.S. 64th of 180, citing Trump administration actions, rising attacks on journalists, and a global drop with over half of countries in 'difficult' or 'very serious' categories.
Raw Story'Pouring gasoline on the fire': US press freedom hits historic low under Trump
Daily KosPress freedom takes a pummeling under Trump
Al JazeeraUS falls to ‘historic low’ in press freedom tracker: RSF
The GuardianPress freedom at lowest level in 25 years amid growing authoritarian pressure
CBS NewsPress freedom worldwide is at lowest level in 25 years, watchdog group warns
Overview
Reporters Without Borders ranked the United States 64th out of 180 countries on its World Press Freedom Index, a seven-place drop from the prior year.
RSF said the decline reflects a global drop in press freedom and that, for the first time in the index's 25-year history, more than half of countries were labelled 'difficult' or 'very serious'.
RSF officials Clayton Weimers and Anne Bocandé blamed coordinated attacks on journalists, citing actions by President Donald Trump’s administration, threats from FCC chair Brendan Carr, and an FBI-approved raid on a Washington Post reporter's home in January.
The report noted more than 170 attacks on journalists in 2025, that since October 2023 more than 220 journalists had been killed in Gaza with at least 70 killed while working, Russia held 48 journalists behind bars, and six companies control most US media.
RSF urged measures to protect legal rights, ensure accountability for attacks and support independent media, while the FCC has opened an investigation into several ABC channels and Paramount Skydance is currently acquiring Warner Bros after acquiring Paramount Global.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources largely reproduce RSF's findings without added editorial spin. they relay the watchdog's language and examples — US decline linked to Trump's 'systematic' attacks, Saudi execution, Russia's restrictive laws and Niger's junta — and present regional comparisons and RSF quotes, so emphasis follows the report rather than reframing it.