US EditionTrump’s attacks on the press threaten a critical check on government
- Reporters Without Borders , based in Paris, reported an alarming decline in global press freedom in 2024-2025, highlighting the United States' worsening ranking.
- RSF attributed the US decline to legal attacks on media, economic pressures, and actions by Donald Trump’s administration that undermined independent journalism.
- Trump revealed plans to pursue a lawsuit targeting The New York Times, accusing the outlet of editing out an embarrassing reply, while RSF criticized his reductions in US funding for state-sponsored media, which they said further undermined press freedom conditions.
- RSF's 2025 World Press Freedom Index ranked the US 57th, just below Sierra Leone, with notable drops also seen in Argentina, Tunisia, and Israel; Anne Bocande emphasized that financial struggles among journalists hinder their ability to oppose those spreading disinformation and undermining the media.
- The deteriorating press freedom points to an authoritarian shift in the US and worldwide hardships for independent journalists, while watchdogs urged media to unite against a rising tide of threats.
193 Articles
193 Articles
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Only a Democratic Constitution Can Stop Trumpism
Many liberal commentators are invoking the Constitution as a bulwark against Donald Trump’s attacks on civil liberties. The truth is, our nation’s antidemocratic founding document has allowed the authoritarian right to entrench its power. US president Donald Trump speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House on April 29, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images) Donald Trump is continuing his assault on many of the rig…
Global Media Watchdog Issues Report Accusing Trump of ‘Weaponizing’ Government Against Media
Reporters Without Borders has accused President Trump of driving a decline in U.S. press freedom, citing hostility toward the media and cuts to federal support. The report sparked debate over who defines “press freedom” in an era of exploding alternative media. Key Facts: Reporters Without Borders lowered the U.S. press freedom ranking to 57, citing an “authoritarian shift” under President Trump. The report criticizes Trump for cutting media fu…
San Bernardino Sun
Trump’s attacks on the press threaten a critical check on government
No president of the United States has ever loved the American news media. Most have barely tolerated the institution that our Founding Fathers called the Fourth Estate. The press were to be a watchdog of the government, which the Founding Fathers distrusted. If the news media are doing their job, print, broadcast and digital media are holding politicians accountable for their actions, educating the public about government at all levels and u…
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