The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

The record

Incidents in North America, national level, outcome sustained

Each incident is a dated action by a government, an official, a regulator, a court or a legislature that limited journalists' ability to gather or publish news.

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
CountryCanada, RSF 2026 rank: 20th of 180CubaEl Salvador, RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180Nicaragua, RSF 2026 rank: 168th of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentNorth America
TacticAccess bans 5Funding and ownership pressure 4Surveillance and subpoenas 4Prior restraint 3Lawsuits against the press 2Official labels 2Expulsion and visa denial 2Secrets and espionage laws 2Detention and violence 2Credential control 1Licensing and closure of outlets 1
StageRestrict 5Pressure 8Punish 4Silence 1Eliminate 1
OutcomeSustained 19
LevelNational 19
Head of governmentBarack ObamaDaniel OrtegaDonald TrumpDwight D. EisenhowerFidel CastroFranklin D. RooseveltGeorge H. W. BushGeorge W. BushNayib BukeleWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King

19 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
April 2026El Salvador: freeze on assets of shareholders in El Faro's parent company, February to April 2026El Salvador (RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180)Funding and ownership pressureNayib BukeleSustained (8 May 2026)
31 October 2025White House closes 'Upper Press' section of West Wing to reportersUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDonald TrumpSustained
24 July 2025FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger after CBS ombudsman and anti-DEI pledgesUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (24 July 2025)
18 July 2025Congress cuts $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcastingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (24 July 2025)
1 July 2025United States: Paramount settlement of Donald Trump's lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview, July 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Lawsuits against the pressDonald TrumpSustained (1 July 2025)
25 April 2025United States: Department of Justice rescission of rules limiting subpoenas of journalists, April 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpSustained (25 April 2025)
22 April 202560 Minutes executive producer resigns, citing lost editorial independenceUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpSustained (22 April 2025)
15 April 2025White House ends wire services' guaranteed seat in the press poolUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDonald TrumpSustained
25 February 2025United States: White House takes over selection of the presidential press pool, February 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDonald TrumpSustained (22 September 2026)
15 February 2023Nicaragua strips 94 political opponents, including journalists, of citizenshipNicaragua (RSF 2026 rank: 168th of 180)Expulsion and visa denialDaniel OrtegaSustained
September 2018Nicaragua: freelance correspondent detained and deported after online campaignNicaragua (RSF 2026 rank: 168th of 180)Expulsion and visa denialDaniel OrtegaSustained (30 September 2018)
20 May 2013United States search warrant names Fox News reporter James Rosen a possible co-conspirator in a leak caseUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (12 July 2013)
13 May 2013United States Justice Department secretly seizes two months of Associated Press phone recordsUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (12 July 2013)
10 February 2003Pentagon sets ground rules for journalists embedded with United States forces in IraqUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansGeorge W. BushSustained (14 April 2003)
17 January 1991United States military restricts reporters to escorted press pools during the Gulf WarUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansGeorge H. W. BushSustained (28 February 1991)
28 September 1959Cuba: Prime Minister Fidel Castro publicly criticizes Havana newspapers that questioned his government, September 1959Cuba (RSF rank: not recorded)Official labelsFidel CastroSustained (11 May 1960)
November 1955United States Senate panel subpoenas dozens of New York Times journalists over Communist tiesUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDwight D. EisenhowerSustained (1 December 1956)
19 December 1941United States creates an Office of Censorship and a wartime code for the pressUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Prior restraintFranklin D. RooseveltSustained (28 September 1945)
3 September 1939Canada: War Measures Act regulations authorize review of hundreds of newspapers and ban political organizationsCanada (RSF 2026 rank: 20th of 180)Prior restraintWilliam Lyon Mackenzie KingSustained (31 December 1945)
Download this view

CSV, JSON or Markdown. CC BY 4.0; credit "The War On News, thewaronnews.com".

CSVJSONMarkdown

Incidents (RSS)Incidents (Atom)Incidents (JSON Feed)All incidents (CSV)