The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

Search in the United States, outcome reversed

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

16 incidents match this view.

Country: United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180

Continent: North America

Tactic: Access bans (6) Surveillance and subpoenas (5) Detention and violence (4) Secrets and espionage laws (4) Funding and ownership pressure (2) Credential control (2) Prior restraint (2) Licensing and closure of outlets (1)

Stage: Restrict (4) Pressure (2) Punish (8) Silence (2)

Outcome: Reversed (16)

Level: National (12) State or province (3) Municipal (1)

Head of government: Barack Obama Donald Trump Doug Ducey Joe Biden Laura Kelly Richard Nixon Ronald Reagan Theodore Christianson Tim Walz

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
July 10, 2026Customs officers seize Grayzone editor's phones at Virginia airport over Iran reportingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpReversed (July 17, 2026)
September 17, 2025United States: Federal Communications Commission chairman's remarks and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, September 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpReversed (September 23, 2025)
August 11, 2023Police raid Marion County Record newsroom and publisher's home in KansasUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasLaura KellyReversed (August 5, 2024)
July 21, 2023Federal court strikes down Arizona's law banning recording police within 8 feetUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDoug DuceyReversed (July 21, 2023)
July 19, 2021Justice Department bars seizing reporters' phone and email recordsUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenReversed (April 25, 2025)
July 23, 2020Federal officers restrict press access to Portland protests; judge orders them to stopUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDonald TrumpReversed (July 23, 2020)
May 29, 2020Minnesota State Patrol arrests CNN crew live on air in MinneapolisUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Detention and violenceTim WalzReversed (May 29, 2020)
May 23, 2019United States indicts WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under the Espionage ActUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsDonald TrumpReversed (June 25, 2024)
November 7, 2018White House revokes CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press credential after a news conference exchange with President TrumpUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Credential controlDonald TrumpReversed (November 19, 2018)
November 7, 2018United States: White House suspension of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's hard pass, November 2018United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Credential controlDonald TrumpReversed (November 19, 2018)
October 17, 2014United States pursues New York Times reporter James Risen's testimony for years before dropping its demand for his sourceUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaReversed (October 17, 2014)
July 5, 2010United States charges Army analyst Chelsea Manning under the Espionage Act for leaking to WikiLeaksUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaReversed (January 17, 2017)
October 25, 1983United States military bars journalists from the invasion of GrenadaUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansRonald ReaganReversed (April 1, 1985)
August 16, 1971Nixon White House compiles an enemies list naming journalists for official pressureUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonReversed (June 27, 1973)
June 15, 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 (June 30, 1971)
1927United States Supreme Court strikes down a Minnesota law used to shut a newspaperUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Prior restraintTheodore ChristiansonReversed (June 1, 1931)
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