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RSF Warns Press Freedom Hits Lowest Level in 25 Years, Trump’s US Drops to 64th

30 April, 2026.USA.10 sources

Key Takeaways

Global press freedom at 25-year low; over half of countries in difficult status.
US decline highlighted; Trump attacks on journalists cited.
Ukraine climbs RSF rankings; US still lags behind.

RSF: US slips to 64th

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warned that press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century, and the organization’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index places the United States at 64th after a seven-place drop.

“Freedom of the press around the world has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century, according to the leading Paris-based press freedom NGO, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders”

Al Jazeera

RSF said that “For the first time in the (RSF) Index's 25-year history, more than half the world's countries now fall into the 'difficult' or 'very serious' categories for press freedom,” and it added that “The average score for all countries and territories worldwide has never been so low.”

Al Jazeera

In the same index, RSF reported that the share of the world’s population living in a country where press freedom is considered “good” has “plunged from 20% to less than 1%,” with only seven countries in northern Europe—“led by Norway”—falling into that top category.

Multiple outlets tied the US decline directly to President Donald Trump, citing RSF’s description of “systematic” attacks on journalists and the press.

CBS News said RSF cited Trump’s “systematic policy” and reported that the US dropped “a further seven places to 64.”

Al Jazeera similarly said the United States “ranks 64th with a ‘problematic’ score, falling seven places since President Donald Trump took office.”

The RSF framing also included specific actions in the US, including “the detention of Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara, who was later deported,” and “the suspension of several notable public media institutions,” according to Al Jazeera’s account of RSF’s report.

Why RSF says US worsened

RSF’s explanation for the US ranking decline centered on what it described as President Donald Trump’s approach to media and journalists, with outlets repeating RSF’s language about “systematic” pressure.

Euronews reported that RSF said the US fell “due to US President Donald Trump's