US Drops to 64th in Global Press Freedom as Autocracy Spreads
The 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index shows a global decline, with more than half of countries in “difficult” or “very serious” categories. The United States falls to 64th, behind Ukraine and peers like Canada and Costa Rica, amid politicized state actions and cuts to public broadcasters. Nordic countries remain the freest, while China sits at 178 as the world’s largest jailer of journalists. RSF urges support for independent journalism worldwide.