By Sanna Camara

Around the world, the US has been recognized as a champion of press freedom. Not these days. Several US media and press freedom advocates are petitioning the US congress this month, to brief them about concerns over the falling US ranking in the global press freedom index, thanks to the policies of the Donald Trump administration.

Reporters Without Borders released their new rankings on the World Press Freedom Index this month, coinciding with the UN designated World Press Freedom Day on May 3^rd. In the 2026 index, the United States dropped from 57th to 64^th globally.

“Although international media is covering this story,” Mark Taylor-Canfield, an Executive Director, Seattle-based Democracy Watch News wrote in an email dispatch earlier this month. “So far, the only US news media report I found was CBS News. We hope you will cover this important news story,” he added.

The non-profit news organization, Democracy Watch News, maintains a global network of pro-democracy activists, civic movements, and journalists around the world. Through its work, it sheds light on challenges posed to democracy and free express expression movements around the world.

Reporter Without Borders report indicted the Trump administration as having “censored government data, attempted to dismantle US public broadcasters, weaponized independent government agencies to punish media that criticize his actions, halted aid funding for media freedom internationally, sued disfavored outlets, and applied pressure to install cronies to lead others. Press freedom in the United States continues to decline as a result of these actions.”

“In the meantime, our non-profit is requesting that members of Congress make public statements on or around May 3rd about the new US ranking and the importance of press freedom in a functional democracy,” Taylor-canfield said.

“We know that under the anti-press Trump administration our ranking will continue to decline once again on the index, as it has almost every year since 2002,” he added.

The international research group, Varieties Of Democracy, located at Gothenburg University in Swede, also report that the United States no longer qualifies as a “liberal democracy” due to “suppression and intimidation of media and dissenting voices”.

UNESCO – an organization that enjoyed US financing for decades has seen its coffers dwindle as a result of Trump policies towards media and related heritage work around the world. This has affected the strengthening of press freedom activities around the world, especially in developing countries.

A UNESCO report found that 50% of all global ad spending is controlled by three digital platforms.

“Unfortunately, most members of Congress are completely unaware of the existence of World Press Freedom Day or the World Press Freedom Index,” Canfield said.

“I will also be requesting meetings with Senators Cantwell and Murray on these issues after the new WPFI rankings are announced. Last year Representative Jayapal made a public statement at our request about the importance of press freedom to a functioning democracy,” he added.

The Associated Press, UNESCO and RightsCon will were hosting international conferences during the first week of May in order to coincide with World Press Freedom Day.