The War On News

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

Search in North America, national level

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 180Guatemala, RSF 2026 rank: 128th of 180Haiti, RSF 2026 rank: 107th of 180MexicoNicaragua, RSF 2026 rank: 168th of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentNorth America
TacticAccess bans 15Surveillance and subpoenas 15Secrets and espionage laws 14Funding and ownership pressure 10Detention and violence 9Prior restraint 7Credential control 6Lawsuits against the press 6Expulsion and visa denial 4Official labels 3Shutdowns and blocking 3Licensing and closure of outlets 2Insult and defamation laws 1
StageRestrict 15Pressure 19Punish 20Silence 6Eliminate 3
OutcomeSustained 19Reversed 15Ongoing 12Upheld by a court 9Unknown 8
LevelNational 63
Head of governmentAlejandro GiammatteiBarack ObamaDaniel OrtegaDonald TrumpDwight D. EisenhowerEnrique Pena NietoFidel CastroFranklin D. RooseveltGeorge H. W. BushGeorge W. BushJean-Claude DuvalierJoe BidenNayib BukeleRichard NixonRonald ReaganTheodore RooseveltWilliam Lyon Mackenzie KingWoodrow Wilson

63 incidents match this view. Showing 13 on page 2 of 2.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
15 June 1971United States government seeks an injunction to stop The New York Times publishing the Pentagon PapersUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Prior restraintRichard NixonReversed (30 June 1971)
1969United States Supreme Court rules reporters have no privilege to refuse grand jury subpoenasUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUpheld by a court (29 June 1972)
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)
1953United States: Senator Joseph McCarthy's subcommittee questions New York Post editor James Wechsler, 1953United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDwight D. EisenhowerUnknown
August 1942United States: Justice Department investigates the Chicago Tribune under the Espionage Act over Battle of Midway coverageUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsFranklin D. RooseveltReversed (1 August 1942)
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)
26 June 1918United States convicts newspaper editor Jacob Frohwerk under the Espionage Act, June 1918United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsWoodrow WilsonUpheld by a court (10 March 1919)
July 1917United States postmaster bars the magazine The Masses from the mail under the Espionage ActUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsWoodrow WilsonUpheld by a court (1 November 1917)
1917United States convicts Mother Earth editor Emma Goldman of draft conspiracy and bars her magazine from the mailUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Detention and violenceWoodrow WilsonUpheld by a court (14 January 1918)
1917United States Postmaster General Burleson strips the Milwaukee Leader of its mailing rateUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingWoodrow WilsonUpheld by a court (7 March 1921)
4 March 1909United States: President Theodore Roosevelt seeks criminal libel indictments against the New York World and the Indianapolis News over Panama Canal reportingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Insult and defamation lawsTheodore RooseveltReversed (3 January 1911)
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