The “grim” state of free speech in the US

CNN and Politico have been banned from traveling with the press pool on Trump trips. | Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images On his first day back in office in January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order “restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship.” More than a year and a half later, his administration is instead busy using government power to go after speech it dislikes.

Last year, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr urged broadcasters to take action against Jimmy Kimmel over his comments following Charlie Kirk’s killing, and in September, Kimmel said the FCC again intervened to stop Kimmel’s late-night show from airing an interview with James Talarico, Democratic Senate candidate for Texas.

Also last month , Trump barred three news outlets — CNN, MS NOW, and Politico — from the White House over their coverage.

That ban was quickly blocked by a federal judge, but both CNN and Politico have since been banned from traveling with the press pool on Trump trips.

Outside of the White House, the fight over free speech is also raging on college campuses.

In states like Texas , Republican lawmakers have restricted when students can protest and given governor-appointed university boards more say over what gets taught.

In 2025, 15 states passed laws that restrict what can be taught or weaken protections for free expression on college campuses.

To break down what all of this means for the state of free speech in the US — and the future of our First Amendment rights — Today, Explained co-host Noel King spoke with Greg Lukianoff , president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

Below is an excerpt of their conversation, edited for length and clarity.

There’s much more in the full podcast, so listen to Today, Explained wherever you get podcasts, including Apple Podcasts , Pandora , and Spotify .

How would you describe the kind of status of free speech on campus these days? The status of free speech is in great peril, both on and off campus.

I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and it’s about as bad as I’ve ever seen it.

When it comes to the Charlie Kirk backlash cases, we saw about 90 of them.

It’s a remarkably high number.