On 4 May 2026, at Columbia University in New York (pictured), the winners of the 2026 Pulitzer Prizes were announced. The ceremony was marked by a strong political message: more than a third of the awards went to investigations into Donald Trump’s presidential power, whilst the Prize’s administrator, Marjorie Miller, took a clear and unprecedented stance, openly denouncing the threats to press freedom posed by the current president.
In her opening address, Miller painted an alarming picture: restrictions on journalists’ access to the White House and the Pentagon, billion-dollar defamation lawsuits brought by Trump against various news organisations, and attacks on free speech in the streets. She firmly reiterated that the Pulitzer Board supports ‘civil debate’, opposes all forms of censorship, and defends the First Amendment and the right of access to government institutions. An explicit indictment of the current administration, delivered even before the envelopes were opened.
The Palestinian photographer who documented Gaza
The most symbolically powerful prize of the evening went to Saher Alghorra, a Palestinian photographer working for The New York Times, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography with a series of images described by the jury as ‘heart-wrenching’ and ‘of great sensitivity’. His work, entitled Trapped in Gaza: Between Fire and Famine, documents the hunger, destruction and humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave following the Israeli attacks since 7 October 2023. This recognition comes after the same images had already won first prize for war photography at the Prix Bayeux Calvados-Normandie in France. Among the finalists in the same category were Reuters photographers for their coverage of immigration control operations in the United States and colleagues from the Los Angeles Times for the devastating wildfires in California.
The New York Times was also honoured for editorial photography with further images from Gaza showing the destruction and the ongoing humanitarian crisis: a dual visual testimony to what is happening in the enclave, brought to the world’s attention thanks to the courage of those who continue to document the situation despite everything.
Investigations into power: Trump in the crosshairs of the American press
The Washington Post won the Public Service Award for its investigation into the ‘chaotic’ restructuring of federal agencies ordered by Trump and the human consequences of the cuts. The New York Times received the award for investigative journalism for revealing how Trump and his allies profited financially from ties to wealthy Gulf states and cryptocurrency ventures. Reuters won the award for national journalism for its systematic documentation of the president’s use — and abuse — of executive power and the pressure exerted on his opponents.
A special recognition was awarded to Julie K. Brown of the Miami Herald for her 2017–2018 reporting on the Jeffrey Epstein case, which brought to light a system of systematic abuse of young women and the judicial complicity that had made it possible. A piece of work that demonstrated how investigative journalism conducted by a single reporter can change the course of justice.
Local journalism endures
Miller sought to highlight the resilience of local newspapers and digital start-ups, which accounted for over a third of the awards presented this year: a concrete response to those who claim that local news is in decline. The Chicago Tribune was honoured for its coverage of federal immigration enforcement operations and their impact on the city. The Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica won for an investigation into abuses in the vehicle repossession process. The Minnesota Star Tribune received the breaking news award for its coverage of a shooting at a Catholic school in which two children lost their lives.
Surveillance, technology and other awards
The Associated Press won the international journalism award for a global investigation into surveillance technologies developed in Silicon Valley, then exported to China and used by US border police for undisclosed purposes. Reuters journalists Jeff Horwitz and Engen Tham won the prize for specialised journalism for revealing how Meta exposed users — including minors — to scams and manipulation through artificial intelligence.
Established in 1917, the Pulitzer Prizes remain the most prestigious accolade in American journalism. This year, perhaps more so than in the past, the choice of winners is itself a statement: independent journalism endures, and the committee that awards the profession’s most coveted prizes has not hesitated to openly take its side.
