United States President Donald Trump has secured a spot on the 2026 “Predators of Press Freedom” list compiled by Reporters Without Borders, entering the roster before completing the first two years of his second term amid an escalation of hostile actions targeting independent media.
Reporters Without Borders, known internationally as RSF, released its list of 33 “Predators of Press Freedom” to mark November 2, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The list highlights leaders, government bodies, and criminal organizations worldwide that actively attack journalism through tactics ranging from physical violence and imprisonment to political propaganda and coordinated digital harassment.
Trump’s inclusion follows a period during which his frequent verbal attacks on journalists evolved from public criticism into measures that RSF argues systematically erode press freedom in the United States, which currently ranks 64th in the organization’s world press freedom index. The claim regarding more than 1,600 posts expressing hostility toward news organizations over 47 days in 2026 concerns Argentine Javier Milei, not Trump.
Global Figures and Institutional Forces Fill the 2026 Roster
The 2026 roster maintains several long-standing figures alongside new additions categorized by their methods of repression. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega remain on the list within the security category, alongside the Israeli Armed Forces, Mexican drug cartels, and the Chinese Communist Party. RSF noted that under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China persists as the world’s leading jailer of journalists.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has included US President Donald Trump on its list of press freedom predators for the first time, accusing him of using the powers of his office to target media outlets whose coverage does not align with his views and intensifying pressure on them… pic.twitter.com/wRnQ96HKah
The security category also saw the addition of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose administration detained journalists from the fact-checking website Matsaddash and forced the closure of the prominent news outlet Mada Masr.
In the legal category, leaders face criticism for utilizing judicial harassment to criminalize reporting. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev joined this group for 2026, sharing the designation with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Indian entrepreneur Gautam Adani.
Meanwhile, the social category highlights organized digital campaigns designed to stoke public hatred against independent media. Argentine Javier Milei featured prominently in this section; according to RSF, he utilized his X account to publish more than 1,600 posts expressing hostility toward news organizations between April and May 2026, over a span of 47 days.
Shifts in the Global Press Freedom Landscape
The 2026 list also recorded notable departures from the previous year’s roster due to geopolitical and electoral shifts. Iran’s Ali Khamenei was removed following his death in a U.S. airstrike during military engagements, while Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro was imprisoned in a U.S. federal facility. Meanwhile, Viktor Orbán and Aleksandar Vučić exited the list after losing elections.
RSF emphasized that the index is designed to assign direct accountability for the global decline in press freedom. By cataloging the backgrounds, rhetoric, and specific tools employed by each listed entity, the organization aims to document institutional attacks and counter efforts to normalize the suppression of independent reporting.
