United States President Donald Trump has been added to Reporters Without Borders’ list of individuals who attempt to silence the press for 2026, marking his first appearance on the list due to actions that cross from aggressive rhetoric into physical restrictions on journalists.
Escalation Beyond Verbal Attacks
Reporters Without Borders, known internationally as RSF, released its updated list featuring 33 individuals and organizations worldwide who have attempted to silence media. While Trump narrowly missed inclusion on the 2025 list, his actions over the past year forced a reassessment by the organization. The group highlighted that the American president has moved past verbal hostility toward the press to implement concrete, physical limits on reporting.
Specific incidents contributing to the designation include an event in September where the media outlets CNN, Politico, and MSNOW were barred from the White House by Donald Trump with the justification that they “constantly report fake news.” Although a federal court later overturned those entry bans, the enforcement of physical exclusion marked a shift in strategy.
Global Figures on the 2026 List
Trump shares space on the list with a wide array of international leaders and institutional actors. The 33 entries include prominent global figures such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and tech billionaire Elon Musk. The list serves as a companion piece to the organization’s broader press freedom index, explicitly singling out actors who bear responsibility for the deterioration of press freedom.
| Category | Notable Figures and Entities | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Political Actors | Donald Trump, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin | North America, Eurasia |
| Abuse of Legal Systems | Brendan Carr, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, John Lee Ka-chiu | North America, Europe, Asia |
| Use of Physical Force | Israeli Armed Forces, Chinese Communist Party | Middle East, Asia |
Thibaut Bruttin, secretary-general of RSF, emphasized in a public statement that the objective across all listed actors remains identical regardless of whether they employ physical violence, legal manipulation, or digital fact alteration. The goal, according to the organization, is to prevent journalists from executing their duties and to strip the public of access to independent information.
