Trump Pressures Broadcasters Over Critical Coverage, Escalating Attack on Speech

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president’s suggestion that broadcasters should lose their licenses because of criticism of him indicated that his assault on critics’ language is driven in part by personal animus.

President Trump said on Thursday that regulators should consider revoking the licenses of broadcasters that air negative coverage or commentary of him, indicating that his assault on critics’ language is motivated at least in part by personal animus.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr. Trump called the networks “an arm of the Democrat party” who are out to get him.

“I have read someplace that the networks were 97 percent against me, I get 97 percent negative, and yet I won and easily,” Mr. Trump said as he returned to Washington following a state visit to Britain, adding: “I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”

The comments were a remarkable escalation in a coordinated attack by Mr. Trump and his top aides, who are using the threat of the power of the American government to silence criticism or dissent following the assassination of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

In the last week, White House has moved to target the tax status of liberal groups, monitor online speech, deny visas and threaten to designate certain groups as domestic terrorists. The administration has argued such measures are necessary to crack down on hate speech that could incite violence, even as Democrats and others warn that it amounts to a crackdown on opposing views. » | Zolan Kanno-Youngs | Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a White House correspondent. He reported from Washington. | Published: Thursday, September 18, 2025; updated: Friday, September 19, 2025

With Americans' penchant for violence, one can but wonder whether the US is heading for another revolution. The Orange One is pushing Americans to the edge, methinks. — © Mark Alexander

IHIP News: MAGA Has Killed Free Speech; Jimmy Kimmel Cancelled after Triggering Trump

Sep 18, 2025 | Trump continues to pull us into fascism by destroying the 1st Amendment.

Strong language alert!

Trump Camp Called Out for ‘Hypocrisy’ on Kimmel Suspension

Sep 18, 2025 | "It's the arrival of the thought police and it's utterly hypocritical."

The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel shows that those who claim to defend free expression are now silencing voices they don’t agree with, says Times Radio’s Ed Vaizey.

Trump Bans Free Speech, Promises War on Democracy - This Is Not a Drill

Sep 17, 2025

IHIP News: Wow! MAGA Turns on Trump after His Attack on Free Speech Backfires

Sep 17, 2025 | MAGA influencers are turning on Trump in droves after calls to attack free speech.

Very strong language alert! PLEASE NOTE that I am terribly sorry about this FOUL LANGUAGE. I dislike it every bit as much as you do. Fact is, however, that if I stopped posting American videos because of foul language, there’d be few videos for me to post! The standard of the use of language in the USA has gone down the tubes, just like America itself has! These two women have great insights into what is happening in the States right now, despite their use of filthy language. When a county is on the skids, everything goes down with it, including the use of language. — © Mark Alexander

MAGA's New Speech Police

Sep 16, 2025 | Today's podcast with Tom Nichols

Pam Bondi Threatens Critics of Charlie Kirk: "We Will Target You, Go After You!"

Sep 16, 2025 | esse talks about two ominous statements from Pam Bondi, the Attorney General of the United States of America, who leads the "Department of Justice." Bondi said on Stephen Miller's wife's podcast that she is gearing up to "target" and "go after" critics of Charlie Kirk. She also threatened private employers about who they employ, saying, "And employers, you have to have an obligation to get rid of people. You need to look at people who are saying horrible things. And they shouldn't be working with you." This came after an Office Depot employee was fired for refusing to print Charlie Kirk related posters, calling it "political propaganda."

US Congressman Describes Explosive First Encounter with Farage

Sep 4, 2025 | US Congressman Jamie Raskin had an explosive encounter with Nigel Farage yesterday. But this was far from the first time the pair met.

Describing their initial encounters in Brussels, London and Dublin, Raskin said Farage "exploded" when the conversation turned to freedom of speech in America.


What have I been saying all along? That Farage is a f*****g FRAUD. I wouldn’t vote for that self-serving b******d if he were the last man on earth! Jamie Raskin is absolutely spot on. — © Mark Alexander

"Free Speech Imposter" | Nigel Farage v US Congressman Jamie Raskin

Sep 4, 2025 | Victoria Derbyshire interviews US Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin after he grilled Reform UK MP Nigel Farage in front of a US Congressional committee - the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee - on free speech in Washington DC.

Jamie Raskin is right about Nigel Farage. Absolutely right. The sooner Farage is shut up, once and for all, the better. Farage is a loudmouth, a self-aggrandizing loudmouth and troublemaker. — © Mark Alexander

Trump Under Attack: Democrats Up in Arms over Threats to Free Speech

Sep 4, 2025 | "Democrats were really determined to prick that balloon."

The Democrats launched "a penetrating attack" at Trump's British ally Nigel Farage who suggested the UK was like North Korea in terms of free speech, says journalist and who's been covering the US since 2004, Laura Trevelyan.


Nigel Farage is a self-serving fraud. — © Mark Alexander

Nick Clegg Hits Out at Free Speech 'Hypocrisy', Nigel Farage and JD Vance

Sep 3, 2025 | Nick Clegg discusses the re-election of Donald Trump and leaving his role alongside Mark Zuckerberg at Meta, one of the biggest jobs in tech. The former Deputy Prime Minister also accuses JD Vance of 'hypocrisy' over free speech criticism and hits out at Nigel Farage and Brexit.

"CONCERNING and SHOCKING!" - Nigel Farage Opens US Congress Hearing on Free Speech in UK

Sep 3, 2025 | Nigel Farage is testifying before Congress in the US about free speech in Britain on Wednesday.

The Reform UK leader is in Washington where he has raised concerns about British restrictions on freedom of speech.

He is appearing before the House Judiciary Committee, which is looking at the effect that British and European online safety laws are having on US tech giants.

Mr Farage raised the case of Graham Linehan, the Father Ted creator, who was arrested by five armed officers over posts he made on X about transgender people.

Rowan Atkinson Just Obliterates Keir Starmer: "Why Won’t He Listen?"

Sep 23, 2024 | Imagine being arrested for calling a police force "gay" or for criticizing a religion—it sounds absurd, but it's happening today. In a thought-provoking speech, Rowan Atkinson, best known as Mr. Bean, exposes these shocking incidents and their wider implications for free speech. He argues that our freedom to express opinions is under serious threat, explaining why this issue is more critical now than ever. Stay tuned as we hear from Atkinson himself and explore the growing dangers to free expression in the modern world.

Death of Free Speech - Labour Party’s Proposed Blasphemy Law | Guess the Religion!

Sep 30, 2024

SP!KED : How Britain Fell to Censorship

Aug 21, 2024 | The UK has become a posterboy for the perils of censorship. In the wake of the recent race riots, the British state has set about arresting and jailing not just the rioters, but also those who posted hateful memes or spread misinformation during the unrest. Anglophiles looked on aghast, as this once liberty-loving nation appeared to suddenly fall to authoritarianism. The depressing truth, however, is that this was a very long time coming. Here, Tom Slater lifts the lid on the UK’s decades-long experiment with policing speech. Being arrested for posting something offensive online has been alarmingly normal for some time now. And the bar for censorship is only getting lower and lower. Britain is a warning to genuine liberals the world over. Censorship is poison. Never, ever let it in.

Very troubling developments indeed in Starmer’s unfree Britain. – © Mark Alexander

Rowan Atkinson Tells Us What He Thinks about the Importance of Free Speech | #shorts

These are his thoughts on the precious things in life.

‘We Need Free Speech’: Protests Erupt across Poland over Controversial Media Bill

THE GUARDIAN: The bill, yet to be signed into law, would tighten rules around foreign ownership of media

Protesters march in Krakow on Sunday to demand Poland’s head of state veto a law they say would limit media freedoms in the country. Photograph: Alex Bona/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock
Poles have staged nationwide protests including a thousands-strong rally outside the presidential palace to demand the head of state veto a law they say would limit media freedoms in the European Union’s largest eastern member.

Unexpectedly rushed through parliament on Friday, the legislation would tighten rules around foreign ownership of media, specifically affecting the ability of news channel TVN24, owned by US media company Discovery Inc, to operate.

The bill, yet to be signed into law by president Andrzej Duda, has soured ties between Nato-member state Poland and the United States at a time of heightened tension in eastern Europe amid what some countries see as increased Russian assertiveness.

It has also fuelled wider fears about attacks on media freedoms that have been running high since state-run oil company PKN Orlen said last year it was taking over a German-owned publisher of regional newspapers.

“This is not just about one channel,” the Warsaw mayor and a former opposition candidate for president, Rafal Trzaskowski, told the crowd on Sunday. “In a moment [there will be] censorship of the internet, an attempt to extinguish all independent sources of information – but we will not allow that to happen.” » | Guardian staff and agencies | Monday, March 20, 2021

Emmanuel Macron: Free Speech Is Much Broader Than Mere Cartoons | Talk to Al Jazeera

On this edition of Talk to Al Jazeera, President Emmanuel Macron insists he understands and respects the feelings expressed by the Muslim world over the cartoons.

But, he says, he will always defend "the freedom to write, to think and to draw". Even if this does not mean he personally supports everything said, thought or drawn.

Macron says it is his duty to protect these human rights that have been won in France, as well as the sovereignty of the French people.

Tommy Robinson Talks to RT about Free Speech

Tommy Robinson's message is simple – he has no intention of stopping. He has the "God given right" to freedom of speech, and he intends to use it.

Tucker: Trump Retweet Outrage Shows Death of Free Speech

Tucker's Thoughts: The furor over President Trump's retweet of three videos circulated by a British nationalist group's leader shows there's growing fascism and death of free speech in the West - even if the speech is unpopular.