The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

Search in the United States

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

56 incidents match this view. Showing 6 on page 2 of 2.

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

Continent: North America

Tactic: Access bans (19) Surveillance and subpoenas (14) Secrets and espionage laws (11) Funding and ownership pressure (9) Detention and violence (8) Credential control (6) Prior restraint (6) Lawsuits against the press (5) Shutdowns and blocking (2) Licensing and closure of outlets (1) Official labels (1)

Stage: Restrict (18) Pressure (15) Punish (18) Silence (5)

Outcome: Reversed (16) Sustained (16) Ongoing (12) Unknown (7) Upheld by a court (5)

Level: National (47) State or province (6) Municipal (3)

Head of government: Barack Obama Donald Trump Doug Ducey Dwight D. Eisenhower Franklin D. Roosevelt George H. W. Bush George W. Bush Jacob Frey Jeff Landry Joe Biden Karen Bass Laura Kelly Richard Nixon Ron DeSantis Ronald Reagan Theodore Christianson Tim Walz Woodrow Wilson

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
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 (June 29, 1972)
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 (December 1, 1956)
December 19, 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 (September 28, 1945)
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)
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 (November 1, 1917)
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 (March 7, 1921)
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