The First Amendment Won't Go Quietly

"Over the course of the roundtable, President Donald Trump suggested that protests against him had been organized by mysterious funders, who he hinted could soon be in 'deep trouble.' He complained about television networks that were biased against him but praised CBS, whose parent company had recently been purchased by a Trump-friendly billionaire. And he touted an executive order that demanded the Justice Department bring charges for burning American flags."

"During the first 10 months of Trump's second term in office, the federal government has cracked down on political expression-often understood as the most protected category of speech-with a persistence and viciousness reminiscent of some of the darkest periods of U.S. history. The administration has pushed for the prosecution of the president's political opponents, fired government employees for taking positions perceived as less than entirely loyal to Trump, and barred certain law firms from working with the government because they displeased the president."

Early White House events brought right-wing influencers together to discuss antifa and alleged threats. The president accused protest organizers of being funded by mysterious backers and suggested they could face legal jeopardy. He criticized television networks while praising a network whose parent company was acquired by a friendly billionaire, and he promoted an executive order urging prosecutions for flag burning despite Supreme Court protection for that act. During the first ten months of the term, the federal government intensified actions against political expression, pursuing opponents, firing employees seen as disloyal, barring law firms, restricting media access, and cutting grants tied to criticized policies.

Read at The Atlantic