Nearly half of U.S. adults say they are extremely or very concerned about possible restrictions on press freedom, according to a recent Pew-Knight Initiative report.
That 46% figure puts press freedom in the same range of public worry as several other core rights: 50% express high concern about limits on free speech, 47% about the freedom to assemble peacefully, and 46% about the right to vote. The overall numbers mask a sharp partisan split.
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are far more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to worry about restrictions on press freedom (64% vs. 29%), the right to vote (64% vs. 29%), peaceful assembly (62% vs. 32%), and free speech (61% vs. 39%).
Republicans, by contrast, are more likely than Democrats to be highly concerned about possible limits on the right to bear arms (48% vs. 27%). Concern about religious freedom is similar across parties, at 37% among Republicans and 41% among Democrats.
High concern about press freedom has risen modestly since 2024, when 41% of adults said they were extremely or very worried. Over the same period, partisan views flipped. In 2024, Republicans were more concerned than Democrats (47% vs. 38%). By 2026, Democratic concern had jumped to 64%, while Republican concern fell to 29%. Only 28% of Americans now say the media is completely free to report the news, down from 33% a year earlier.
The same study finds broad support for press freedom in principle: 73% of adults say it is extremely or very important to society’s well-being, including majorities of both Democrats (81%) and Republicans (66%). But many Americans also accept limits.
When forced to choose, 53% say preventing inaccurate reporting is more important even if it restricts the press, while 45% prioritize a free press even if some coverage is inaccurate. Forty-four percent think the press has become less free during President Donald Trump’s second administration, including 72% of Democrats and 15% of Republicans.
Pew surveyed more than 3,500 U.S. adults in March 2026 and again in June as part of the Pew-Knight Initiative. The findings show Americans grouping press freedom with other First Amendment and civic rights in their level of concern, while dividing sharply over which rights they believe are most at risk.