-Analysis-
PARIS — When freedom of speech is restricted in the name of that very freedom, we should be wary. The Jimmy Kimmel case is symptomatic of this growing threat in the United States. Kimmel, a comedian and longtime host of ABC’s late-night show — one of the most popular in the country — was suspended indefinitely after his comments on the murder of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. ABC, owned by Disney, announced the decision on Wednesday.
What did he say that was so terrible? He did not celebrate the murder, which he called “senseless,” nor did he insult Kirk’s memory. Instead, he accused Donald Trump and his “MAGA gang,” as he put it, of seizing on Kirk’s death to attack “the left” — without offering proof. A fairly innocuous remark, and hard to dispute. I myself devoted my Monday column to the subject, though fortunately on French national radio France Inter, and not an American network.
Threat of sanctions
Brendan Carr, head of the FCC — the U.S. communications regulator and a Trump appointee — condemned Kimmel’s remarks and implicitly threatened broadcasters with sanctions. In a system where hundreds of local stations rebroadcast the major networks, it was the risk of those stations dropping the show that ultimately forced ABC’s hand.
This is serious, because there is clearly pressure from an administration official on private channels, even without any legal action. Just look at Trump’s reaction on his Truth Social network: he praised ABC’s decision, calling it “great news for America.” He’d done the same several months ago regarding NBC’s cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s late-night show, another hugely popular host and outspoken critic of Trump. In his post, the president also targeted two other late-night programs he wants removed — all, of course, in the name of freedom of expression.
In this same week, Trump filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing it of spreading fake news about his administration. He is seeking a staggering $15 billion from America’s most influential newspaper. In July, he brought a $10 billion suit against The Wall Street Journal. He is unlikely to win either case, but the goal is clear: intimidation.
Trump’s America is reminiscent of Putin’s authoritarian drift.
Also this week, the president targeted an Australian journalist who asked a pointed question about the blurred line between his presidency and private interests. Trump’s response was telling: he claimed the journalist was doing Australia a disservice, dismissed the notion of journalistic independence, and barred Australian television from his press conference in London on Thursday.
All of this is alarming for a country that has the broadest protections for freedom of expression in the world, enshrined in its Constitution. Trump had promised to safeguard these freedoms, which he claimed were under threat from the left’s “cancel culture,” yet he is clearly heading in the opposite direction.
On Thursday, Andrei Soldatov, a Russian journalist exiled in Europe, tweeted that Trump’s America reminds him of Putin’s authoritarian drift once he came to power. Freedom of speech is best understood by those who have lost it.