Pew Research: Americans’ Concerns About Press Freedom Persist as Partisan Views Flip

Press Freedom Remains a Flashpoint as Partisan Lines Redraw

In an era of deep political polarization, Americans still rally around the idea of press freedom — but a new Pew Research Center survey shows partisan divides over media independence are widening fast.

Concern Persists, but the Political Map Flips

Seventy percent of Americans voice concern about restrictions on the press, with 43% extremely or very concerned — numbers virtually unchanged since early 2024. What has changed is who’s worried: Democrats (60%) are now twice as likely as Republicans (28%) to express alarm, a stark reversal from last year.

Democrats Push Back Against Trump’s Media Crackdowns

Driving Democratic anxiety are actions taken by the Trump administration: banning Associated Press reporters from Oval Office briefings and Air Force One, and launching lawsuits against major news outlets. Press freedom advocates argue these moves represent a coordinated effort to intimidate the free press and reshape the flow of information.

Press Freedom: Still a Bedrock Principle

Across the spectrum, 77% of Americans agree that press freedom is essential to democracy’s health, with Democrats (82%) slightly more emphatic than Republicans (74%).

Skepticism About Media Independence Rises

Only a third of Americans believe the press is fully free to report the news, while 46% see it as only somewhat free. Republicans — newly confident in the media’s independence — now outpace Democrats in this view, another reversal from 2024.

Corporate and Political Pressures in the Spotlight

Most Americans believe journalism is deeply shaped by corporate (85%) and political (86%) forces, with rising Democratic concern about political interference.

Even as partisanship reshapes perceptions, a free and independent press remains one of the few civic values Americans broadly defend — for now.