There is a new, disturbing trend in the Republican Party that should have everyone on notice. The GOP is starting to believe that the First Amendment, which protects free speech, is not an inalienable right, but a privilege that can be revoked. This isn’t just one or two fringe individuals; it’s a sentiment being echoed by some of the most prominent voices in the GOP, from President Donald Trump to influential members of Congress.
And it’s not just Trump. The comments from Fox News’ own Kayleigh McEnany show an even more twisted logic. On her show, she reportedly said, “For all the concern about the ‘the First Amendment, the First Amendment’ — they’re apoplectic, Jesse — what about all the amendments that Charlie Kirk lost? Because Charlie Kirk has no amendments right now. None.” The argument she’s making is that because a tragic event occurred, a person’s rights somehow become less important.
This is a dangerous and frankly nonsensical line of thinking. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, especially when you think about how this same group would react if someone argued, “For all the concern about the ‘the Second Amendment, the Second Amendment,’ what about all the amendments that the victims of gun violence lost?”
Trump’s buddies are slowly chipping away at your right to protest
It seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to a tragedy, but the implications are far more serious. When a leader suggests that criticizing them could lead to a loss of a broadcasting license, it’s a clear threat to free speech, a right that should be beyond question.
Trump, for instance, has been quoted as saying that “evening shows” are “not allowed” to criticize him and that networks that only give him “bad publicity” could lose their broadcast licenses. This kind of rhetoric is a direct assault on the very idea of a free press. His comments are especially concerning, as they come in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing.
He's right for once. trump and other republicans are launching a full on assault on the First Amendment, and instead of rejecting it or fighting against it, maga are celebrating without realizing that he can, and likely will, apply those same restrictions to them in the future.
— Marilyn (@poisoninprada) September 18, 2025
Perhaps the most explicit example of this new mindset comes from Senator Cynthia Lummis, per Semafor. According to a report from Semafor, the Wyoming Republican stated, “Under normal times, in normal circumstances, I tend to think that the First Amendment should always be sort of the ultimate right. And that there should be almost no checks and balances on it. I don’t feel that way anymore.”
This is a stunning reversal. The idea that free speech is only a “privilege” and that it should have “checks and balances” is a fundamental rejection of a core American value. She links this change of heart to the idea that “something’s changed culturally” and that some people are “calling each other those kinds of insane things.”
While she is understandably concerned about violence and death threats, the solution can’t be to chip away at the First Amendment. It’s a slippery slope, and it’s one that no one should want to go down. This is the same kind of reasoning that has been used to justify restricting all sorts of freedoms in the name of safety.
What we are seeing is a major political party, which has long championed itself as the defender of individual liberties, openly questioning the very foundation of free speech. It’s a complete 180 from the rhetoric we’ve heard for years, and the major difference now is that Trump is leading the party.
