"The United States Is In a Speech War"

"Back in January, during his Inaugural Address, Donald Trump declared that "after years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression," he would issue an executive order "to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America." There was, as always, reason to be skeptical. (In fact, his very next line was "Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents," which, based on last night's indictment of James Comey, is especially striking.)"

"The months that followed revealed the hollowness of this order, which was so clearly at odds with the President's own disposition. In recent months, the Trump Administration has engaged in a relentless attack against press outlets, law firms, universities, museums, and other institutions not to its liking. Others in the Party have taken his lead. Recently, Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, responded to the F.C.C. chairman Brendan Carr's threats against Jimmy Kimmel and Disney, by telling Semafor,"

Donald Trump promised during his Inaugural Address to stop government censorship and to bring back free speech to America, invoking years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict expression. His pledge included a line against weaponizing state power to persecute political opponents, a claim complicated by the recent indictment of James Comey. Subsequent months have seen administration attacks on press outlets, law firms, universities, museums, and other institutions. Other Republicans have echoed shifting attitudes toward the First Amendment; Senator Cynthia Lummis said she no longer believes there should be almost no checks on the right. Cultural recommendations include the return of "Slow Horses" and a new Stereolab album.

Read at The New Yorker