Trump and Milei enter the list of "press predators" released by an international NGO

The president of Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, and the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, are among the names classified as “press predators” by the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The 2026 list was released on Monday and brings together 33 people, institutions and organizations identified by the organization as responsible for threats to press freedom in different parts of the world.

The publication coincides with the International Day for the End of Impunity for Crimes against Journalists and highlights practices such as intimidation, prosecution, violence, disinformation and economic pressures against professionals and media companies.

According to RSF, the members of the list use different strategies to weaken independent journalism and make it difficult for the population to access information of public interest.

Trump Accused of Intensifying Press Attacks

The inclusion of Donald Trump comes after the evaluation of the measures adopted during his second term in Casa Branca, which began in January 2025.

According to the organization, the president intensified public criticism of the media and adopted measures that restrict the work of journalists, including restrictions on access to government and military institutions.

The entity also points to attempts to transform journalistic coverage into a tool of political communication, compromising the independence of information professionals.

The scenario is reflected in the 2026 World Press Freedom Ranking. The Estados Unidos fell seven positions from the previous year and began to occupy the 64th place among 180 countries and territories evaluated.

Trump appears in the category of political predators, alongside Vladimir Putin, President of Russia; Alexander Lukashenko, of Belarus; and Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, of Nicaragua.

Javier Milei is also cited for attacks on journalists

The Argentine president Javier Milei also integrates the 2026 relationship. According to RSF, since taking office in December 2023, the Argentine leader has taken a confrontational stance with journalists and media outlets that criticize his administration.

The organization points out that Milei often uses social networks to disqualify media professionals and question the credibility of reports.

A survey cited by RSF identified more than 1,600 press-hostile publications made by the Argentine president on the social network X for just 47 days, between April and May 2026.

Argentina ranks 98th in the world ranking of press freedom, a scenario that worries international organizations dedicated to the protection of journalism.

Elon Musk and tech giants appear in the relationship

The list is not limited to rulers. Entrepreneurs, digital platforms and large economic groups are also blamed for practices that compromise media independence.

Billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the social network X, remains among the names cited by RSF. The organization assigns the entrepreneur responsibility for the dissemination of attacks against journalists and for stimulating distrust towards the professional press.

In the economic category, appear the companies Alphabet, parent company of Google, and Meta, responsible for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

According to the entity, the economic and technological influence of these companies represents a pressure factor on the financial sustainability of independent vehicles.

The report also mentions entrepreneurs such as Vincent Bolloré of France and Bidzina Ivanishvili of Georgia.

Violence Against Journalists Worries Organization

Another point highlighted by Reporters Without Borders concerns the safety of professionals working in regions marked by armed conflicts, organizações criminosas and authoritarian regimes.

Among the groups cited are Israel’s Forças Armadas, the Chinese Communist Party and organizations linked to Mexican drug trafficking.

In Mexico, according to RSF, the activity of criminal cartels contributes to an environment of fear and violence, with an average close to one journalist murdered per month by organized crime since the beginning of 2026.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was also included in the relationship. The agency cites arrests of journalists linked to the Matsaddash verification portal and the closure of the independent Mada Masr vehicle.

Brazil is ahead of the Estados Unidos in the ranking

The World Press Freedom Ranking of 2026 also presents a relevant data for Brazil. The country ranks 52nd, ahead of Estados Unidos, ranked 64th, and Argentina, in 98th place.

Despite the Brazilian performance, the organization continues to warn of challenges faced by journalists, including political pressures, threats and economic difficulties for the maintenance of independent vehicles.

The classification considers political, legal, economic, sociocultural and security aspects related to the exercise of journalism.

Who left the press predator list?

The 2026 edition also shows changes from the previous survey.

Among the names removed is Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former supreme leader, killed during attacks by the Estados Unidos and by Israel in February this year.

Nicolás Maduro, removed from power in Venezuela and held in custody in the Estados Unidos, also left the relationship.

Other names excluded were Viktor Orbán of Hungary and Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia after electoral defeats that removed them from power.

The RSF clarifies that the list of predators is different from the world ranking of press freedom. While the ranking analyzes the conditions for the exercise of journalism in each country, the report released on Monday identifies people and organizations that, according to the entity, act directly to restrict this right.

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