The return to power of Donald Trump resulted in a “Disturbing degradation of press freedom in the United States”notes the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in its annual classification by country Posted on Friday May 2. The United States lost two places there, being in 57e Position on 180, behind Sierra Leone.
“The situation was not already shiny [dans le pays] »»which had been downgraded by ten places in 2024, conceded to the Agency France-Presse the editorial director of RSF, Anne Bocandé. But it has grown further since the inauguration, in January, of the American president, author of“Daily attacks” against the press.
“His administration has politicized institutions, reduces support for independent media and marginalized journalists”subject to a “Growing hostility”while the “Confidence in the media collapses”summarizes the NGO.
Donald Trump also undertook the dismantling of American public media abroad, like Voice of America, depriving “More than 400 million people” of a “Access to reliable information”according to RSF. On Thursday, the American president signed a decree eliminating federal funds allocated to the public media NPR and PBS, accused in particular of “Distribute WOKE propaganda”.
“The freezing of international aid funds” of the American development agency USAID also has “Plunged hundreds of media in critical economic instability” and forced some “When closed, especially in Ukraine” (62e– 1 place).
“Press freedom is no longer an achievement in the United States”also noted, earlier this week, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ), in a report in the first hundred days of Donald Trump’s second term.
Norway always at the top of the ranking
In the rest of the world, Norway retains first place for the ninth year in a row in the RSF ranking, Eritrea remaining in the last position, just behind North Korea and China.
France (25e), where a “Significant part of the national press is controlled by some great fortunes”underlines RSF, loses four places.
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The most important drops are observed for example in Guinea (103e– 25), theater of a “Terrible restriction” press freedom according to Anne Bocandé, and, like last year, in Argentina (87e– 21), directed by the ultra -liberal president Javier Milei.
The situation is also “Disastrous” In Palestine (163e– 6), according to RSF, which accuses the Israeli army of having “Destroyed editors and killed nearly 200 journalists”.
RSF realizes this ranking from“A quantitative statement of the atrocities committed to journalists” And “A qualitative study” with experts.