The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

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Incidents: credential control, national level

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.

9 incidents match this view.

Country: United States (6) China (1) Spain (1) Germany (1)

Continent: North America (6) Europe (2) Asia (1)

Tactic: Credential control (9) Access bans (6) Prior restraint (2) Expulsion and visa denial (1) Insult and defamation laws (1) Licensing and closure of outlets (1)

Outcome: Reversed (4) Ongoing (3) Sustained (2)

Level: National (9)

Head of government: Donald Trump (6) Xi Jinping (1) Francisco Franco (1) Adolf Hitler (1)

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
September 18, 2026United States: White House hard-pass deactivations for CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters, September 2026United StatesAccess bansDonald TrumpOngoing (September 21, 2026)
October 15, 2025United States: News organizations turn in their Pentagon press credentials, October 2025United StatesCredential controlDonald TrumpOngoing (April 9, 2026)
September 19, 2025United States: Department of Defense press credential rules requiring approval before release of information, September 2025United StatesCredential controlDonald TrumpOngoing (April 9, 2026)
February 25, 2025United States: White House takes over selection of the presidential press pool, February 2025United StatesAccess bansDonald TrumpSustained (September 22, 2026)
March 17, 2020China expels American journalists from three major U.S. newspapersChinaExpulsion and visa denialXi JinpingSustained
November 7, 2018White House revokes CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press credential after a news conference exchange with President TrumpUnited StatesCredential controlDonald TrumpReversed (November 19, 2018)
November 7, 2018United States: White House suspension of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's hard pass, November 2018United StatesCredential controlDonald TrumpReversed (November 19, 2018)
April 1938Franco's Spain requires state permission to be a journalist under a wartime Press LawSpainCredential controlFrancisco FrancoReversed (April 1, 1977)
October 4, 1933Nazi Germany's Editors Law bars Jewish journalists from the press and puts editors under state directionGermanyCredential controlAdolf HitlerReversed (May 8, 1945)
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