Without a Free Press There Can Be No Democracy!
The recent subpeonas of U.S. journalists by the Department of Justice reflects a growing hostility towards the free press which violates the guarantees of protection as stated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The US is now ranked 64th in press freedom on the newly released World Press Freedom Index. That means there are 63 other nations where journalists have more legal protections and have more access to information about their own government.
World Press Freedom Index
U.S. journalists can’t be proud of our steadily declining ranking, but most U.S. news organizations still decline to report on that information despite efforts by our non-profit Democracy Watch News to inform our colleagues in the media and brief members of Congress.
The vast majority of members of the U.S. Congress are completely unaware of World Press Freedom Day or the World Press Freedom Index as compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
Slight Improvement
This year, led by Senator Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i, 9 members of the U.S. Senate were moved to introduce a resolution commemorating World Press Freedom Day and supporting freedom of the press.
U.S. Senate Resolution
Find the press release announcing the resolution here.
Statements By U.S. Representatives
U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Jamie Raskin (Maryland) and Mark Pocan (Wisconsin) made public statements on May 3rd, World Press Freedom Day, highlighting the importance of press freedom.
U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal:
Today is World Press Freedom Day.
The US is now ranked 57th in the world for press freedom—and that is rapidly declining as Trump continues to attack journalism.
Democracy needs a strong, free press in order to survive.
Note: The US ranking on the World Press Freedom Index is currently 64th according to Reporters Without Borders.
U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin:
At a time when journalistic freedom is in danger, it’s never been more important to reaffirm and solidify the First Amendment.
On this World Press Freedom Day, let’s defend and celebrate—not denigrate and deny—the freedom of the press.
US Representative Mark Pocan:
This World Press Freedom Day, we don’t just have to think about the attacks on the press in countries like Russia or China. The freedom of our own press is under attack.
Let’s be clear: the press is not ‘the enemy of the people’. Just the opposite. A free press, without intimidation or censorship, is essential to our democracy.
Social Media
https://twitter.com/RepRaskin/status/1918798170508742827.
https://twitter.com/RepMarkPocan/status/2050946021358817323.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwLxKQ9hM
CBS News reported on the U.S. press freedom ranking and AP held a week of online events dedicated to press freedom and celebrating World Press Freedom Day.
Mainstream Coverage
CBS News Report
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/press-freedom-lowest-level-25-years-watchdog-group
AP Week of Events
https://apnews.com/press-freedom-week-2026
International media has reported on World Press Freedom Day and the World Press Freedom Index rankings every year including BBC, France 24, Al Jazeera, and DW, but the US has largely ignored these news stories.
We urge all U.S. media outlets to make reporting on threats to press freedom and coverage of World Press Freedom Day and the World Press Freedom Index a major priority.
Here’s an article from West Africa by journalist Sanna Camara quoting me on the failure of the U.S. to acknowledge WPFD and the WPFI.
United Nations Announcement on WPFD
France 24 News Report
