The United States is now ranked 64th in the world for press freedom. Not 64th in GDP. Not 64th in military spending. 64th in its ability to protect the people whose job is to tell the truth about power. Reporters Without Borders released its 2026 World Press Freedom Index last month, and the findings are damning. For a country that has long held up its First Amendment as the gold standard of democratic values, slipping to 64th out of 180 nations should be a national crisis. I

Conflicts are erupting across the globe. Wars, political unrest, discrimination, and oppression impact millions. During these challenging times, people now more than ever depend on local, independent journalists to deliver critical wartime information. However, reporting on these problems puts journalists in great danger. Like civilians, journalists working in war-torn conflict zones have always been at risk of being collateral damage. What’s alarming is not only the number o