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** OPINION
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** Trump’s escalating war on speech raises a chilling question: Where does it end?
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President Donald Trump, speaking at the memorial for Charlie Kirk on Sunday. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Depending on the topic of the day, I usually get anywhere from a handful of emails to dozens in response to The Poynter Report ([link removed]) newsletter

Last week, the number of responses were among the most I’ve ever received in a week. Pretty much every one was about Jimmy Kimmel’s show being pulled off the air by ABC. And most — not all, but most — of those emails were a mixture of anger, frustration and, in some cases, hopelessness.

CNN’s Brian Stelter summed it up really well in his "Reliable Sources” newsletter by writing, “Imagine we're all stuck in an elevator together. The elevator is only moving in one direction — downward. Every time the doors open, we're at some new, lower level. No one knows how to reverse course. No one knows what awaits us at the very bottom.”

I’ll add this: No one knows where the very bottom is.

Last week, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission suggested Kimmel be suspended because of something Kimmel said on his late-night show. Within hours, two owners of local affiliates — Nexstar and Sinclair — said they wouldn’t air Kimmel’s show. Soon after, ABC announced the Kimmel show is being suspended “indefinitely.”

And that’s when a disturbing reality set in. A popular late-night host, in a country that so much believes in free speech that it’s the very first amendment to our Constitution, was booted off the air for something he said. Kimmel didn’t threaten anyone. He didn’t incite violence. And yet his show is off the air — because of his monologue. And, one could easily argue, it’s actually because President Donald Trump hasn’t liked him for years.

Throw in all the corporate tanglings involving Nexstar and Disney, which owns ABC, and the need for Trump's FCC to approve potential future business acquisitions and mergers and it’s easy to see why everything has gone down the way it has.

But how we got here and where we are is the troubling part. And, make no mistake, the president of the United States is leading the charge.

The New York Times’ Peter Baker wrote ([link removed]) , “For him, it’s not about hate speech, but about speech that he hates — namely, speech that is critical of him and his administration.”

Baker continued, “He has suggested that a clutch of protesters who yelled at him in a restaurant be prosecuted under laws targeting mobsters. He demanded that multiple late-night comics who mocked him be taken off air. He threatened to shutter television broadcasters that he deemed unfair to him. He sued The New York Times for allegedly damaging his reputation. And that was just last week.”

Poynter, led by editor Ren LaForme and reporter Angela Fu, has even started something called the “Press Freedom Watch” ([link removed]) to track all of the way the Trump administration is attacking the press.

Baker went on to write, “Mr. Trump is not the only president to bristle at opposition or news coverage, nor the first to try to punish those who angered him. But in modern times, no president has gone so far in using his power to pressure media figures and political opponents, historians say.”

We can only ask: How much lower can we go? And what will happen next?


** Absolutely inappropriate
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There is some hope. Free speech still has defenders across the political spectrum, including some Republicans who have pushed back against Trump’s efforts.

During an appearance on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” on NBC, Republican Congressman Rand Paul of Kentucky slammed FCC chair Brendan Carr for Carr’s comments on Kimmel that eventually led to Kimmel’s suspension. Appearing on a conservative podcast last week, Carr threatened punishment for Kimmel, saying he could “certainly see a path forward for suspension,” and adding, “we can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

When asked if Carr’s comments were appropriate, Rand told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, “Absolutely inappropriate. Brendan Carr has got no business weighing in on this.”

Paul said that people have the right to say "despicable comments,” but that doesn’t mean they have a right to employment. And, he said, one can be fired for breaking a code of conduct. However, Paul went on to say that “the FCC should have nothing to do with it.”

Rand added that “the government's got no business in it, and the FCC was wrong to weigh in. And I'll fight any, any, any attempt by the government to get involved with speech. I will fight.”

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro also appeared on “Meet the Press” and was asked about his reaction to Kimmel’s show being pulled off the air.

“Fear,” Shapiro said. “Our foundational principle in this country … is about freedom of expression, freedom of speech. And to see that being undermined by the long arm of the federal government is extremely dangerous.”

Shapiro said it shouldn’t matter if you agree with Kimmel or not, or if you find him funny or not, or if you were offended by anything he might have said about Trump or Charlie Kirk. He said, “That is dangerous when we are selectively firing people because of their viewpoints.”

Another Republican who usually toes the conservative line is Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. But Cruz has come out strongly against Carr’s threats to pull ABC’s broadcast license — even though Cruz said he hated what Kimmel said in his monologue and was “thrilled” to see Kimmel yanked off the air.

“But let me tell you,” Cruz said on his podcast, “If the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, have said. We’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like,’ that will end up bad for conservatives.”

Cruz wasn’t exactly defending freedom of speech as much as he seemed to be worried about retribution. He said, “Going down this road, there will come a time when a Democrat wins again — wins the White House … they will silence us. They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly. And that is dangerous.”

Nevertheless, in an editorial ([link removed]) , The Wall Street Journal said it was Cruz’s “finest hour.”

The WSJ editorial board wrote, “Most Republicans are afraid of uttering even a syllable of disapproval about the Trump Administration, so kudos to Ted Cruz for noticing the danger from Brendan Carr’s use of regulatory threats to stifle free speech.”

They added, “As Mr. Trump and his appointees escalate their use of government to punish opponents and coerce business, Republicans will have to decide if they want to rubber stamp this misuse of regulatory and prosecutorial power. If they do, they won’t have grounds to complain when the same screws are turned on them by the next Democratic President.”

Cruz might be able to do more than just talk. As CNN’s Michael Williams notes ([link removed]) , “Cruz also chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which has broad authority over the FCC.”

When asked by reporters if the committee could hold hearings if Carr continues to act in the way he did in the Kimmel matter, Cruz said, “There’s no doubt the Commerce Committee has oversight, authority and responsibility over the FCC, and when the Democrats had the majority, they did not engage in oversight. … We will do our job and engage in oversight.”


** Rage tweet
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Just a day after late-night legend David Letterman criticized Trump for Kimmel’s suspension, Trump responded as he often does in such situations: He rage-tweeted.

Letterman appeared last Thursday at The Atlantic Festival in New York City in the aftermath of Kimmel being pulled off the air. Letterman said, “I just, I feel bad about this because we all see where this is going, correct? It’s managed media and it’s no good. It’s silly; it’s ridiculous; and you can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful or trying to suck up to an authoritarian criminal administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works.”

On Friday night, Trump responded on Truth Social, writing ([link removed]) , “Whatever happened to the very highly overrated David Letterman, whose ratings were never very good, either. He looks like hell, but at least he knew when to quit. LOSER!!!”

Letterman, of course, stands alongside Johnny Carson as, arguably, the best late-night talk-show host ever. Letterman’s run on late night went all the way back to the Ronald Reagan administration, and he noted during his appearance last week that he joked about all administrations, especially Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Letterman said, “The point is beating up on these people, rightly or wrongly, accurately or perhaps inaccurately, in the name of comedy — not once were we squeezed by anyone from any governmental agency, let alone the dreaded FCC. The institution of the president of the United States ought to be bigger than a guy doing a talk show.”


** What’s next with Kimmel
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Last week, a demonstrator held a sign outside El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where the late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" is staged, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

There are reports that Disney and Kimmel are trying to find a compromise to bring “Jimmy Kimmel Live” back on the air. As of Sunday night, Kimmel still has not spoken publicly since his show was taken off the air.

Kimmel doesn’t seem like he would apologize in any way. But Variety’s Cynthia Littleton and Brian Steinberg wrote ([link removed]) , “It’s understood that Kimmel is mindful of the effects a shutdown would have on dozens of his production staffers as well as vendors in Los Angeles who work on the show, according to one source with knowledge of the situation. The host is also aware some staff and crew members are still digging out of the financial hole created by the months-long writers and actors strikes in 2023.”

Meanwhile, here’s another part of this: Kimmel is well-liked at Disney and ABC, and they want him back. Variety added, “There is no doubt that Kimmel and Disney need to proceed with caution. The company needs many TV stations to distribute ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ across the U.S. if it is to generate the ratings the network has guaranteed to advertisers. Ad spending on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” totaled $51.1 million in 2024, according to data from Guideline, a tracker of ad spending, accounting for 21% of all advertising on late night programs.”

In addition, while many conservatives are happy Kimmel is off the air, many other Americans are criticizing, protesting and boycotting Disney.

Stelter wrote, “Walt Disney’s original vision was all-American, right down to the flags along Main Street USA, and the company now exports Americana all around the world. But you know what else is all-American? The First Amendment. And Kimmel’s suspension amid government pressure has turned Disney into a movie-ready villain in the eyes of many consumers. Disney so cherishes its squeaky-clean brand that it doesn’t even let trash linger on the ground at Disneyland. But now there are free speech protesters picketing outside the theme park. One sign at last night’s rally in Anaheim called it ‘the happiest place on Earth — as long as you comply.’”


** A troubling request
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In yet another stunning assault on press freedoms, the Pentagon says it will require credentialed journalists to sign a pledge promising not to report on information that hasn’t been officially released — including unclassified information. Journalists who don’t go along with the policy face losing their credentials.

The directive from the newly rebranded Department of War, Trump’s preferred name for the Department of Defense, said, “DoW remains committed to transparency to promote accountability and public trust. However, DoW information must be approved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.”

It would seem those two sentences are in direct contradiction to one another.

National Press Club President Mike Balsamo, also the national law enforcement editor at The Associated Press, told the AP’s Morgan Lee ([link removed]) , “If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting. It is getting only what officials want them to see. That should alarm every American.”

Of course, news outlets are outraged.

Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray said in a statement, “The Constitution protects the right to report on the activities of democratically elected and appointed government officials. Any attempt to control messaging and curb access by the government is counter to the First Amendment and against the public interest. The Washington Post will continue to pursue accurate, fair reporting in that interest.”

The New York Times put out a statement saying, “Asking independent journalists to submit to these kinds of restrictions is at stark odds with the constitutional protections of a free press in a democracy, and a continued attempt to throttle the public’s right to understand what their government is doing. This is yet another step in a concerning pattern of reducing access to what the U.S. military is undertaking at taxpayer expense. Our journalists will continue to report the facts deeply and fairly.”

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed their disapproval, including Congressman Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, who tweeted ([link removed]) , “This is so dumb that I have a hard time believing it is true. We don’t want a bunch of Pravda newspapers only touting the Government’s official position. A free press makes our country better. This sounds like more amateur hour.”

In an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju on “Inside Politics Sunday,” Bacon also talked about Trump in general, saying, “I think the President doing threats against media is also wrong. We don’t threaten the media.” Bacon added, “To threaten media and say you’re going to pull their license, that’s not what America’s about. We do have a freedom of speech, freedom of the press. We should defend that.”

As far as the Pentagon is concerned, even Trump seemed hesitant to support the new mandate. On Sunday, a reporter asked Trump, “Should the Pentagon be part of deciding what reporters can report on?”

Trump said, “No, I don’t think so. Nothing stops reporters, you know that.”


** The latest with TikTok
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The United States is expected to take over TikTok’s algorithm in the coming days in a deal that will allow the social media giant to continue to be available in the U.S. And it appears that tech and media giants Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, Larry Ellison and Michael Dell will be a part of the group to take over TikTok’s algorithm.

The Murdochs own several media outlets, including Fox News. Ellison is a founder of software giant Oracle. Dell is the chief executive of Dell Technologies.

This TIkTok deal has been a couple of years in the making. Back in 2024, the U.S. passed a bill that banned TikTok because of concerns that the Chinese government could force ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the social media platform, to hand over data that would compromise U.S. users. TikTok has said it has not shared U.S. data with the Chinese government and would never do so. Still, the bill said the app would be banned unless TikTok could sell 80% of its assets to American investors.

In an appearance on Fox News on Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “We are 100% confident that a deal is done. Now that deal just needs to be signed, and the president’s team is working with their Chinese counterparts to do just that.”

Leavitt added that Americans would hold six of the seven TikTok board seats.

In an interview that aired on Sunday on Fox News, Trump said, “You know, they’re very well-known people. And Larry Ellison is one of them. He’s involved. He’s a great guy. Michael Dell is involved. I hate to tell you this, but a man named Lachlan is involved.” Trump added that Rupert Murdoch “is probably going to be in the group.”

CNN reported ([link removed]) , “The TikTok talks involving the Murdochs could result in Fox Corp. becoming part of the consortium, according to a person familiar with the matter. Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch would not be investing as individuals.”

If the deal goes through, the good news for those who use TikTok is that the platform isn’t going anywhere. But there is a concern, too.

The New York Times’ Lauren Hirsch and Emmett Lindner reported ([link removed]) , “The potential investments also raise questions about whether the new owners would have the power to influence the tone or content on the app. The Murdochs have run their media businesses with a firm conservative tilt. Mr. Ellison is a supporter of Mr. Trump’s. He and his family are also increasingly interested in media; he helped finance a bid by his son, David, to buy the entertainment giant Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery could be next.”


** Charlie Kirk memorial
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President Donald Trump, left, stands with Erika Kirk at the conclusion of a memorial for her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Here are some notable pieces regarding Sunday’s memorial for right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk:
* The Washington Post with “Trump calls Charlie Kirk ‘a martyr’ in memorial that mixes religion, politics.” ([link removed])
* Mediaite’s Sean James with “‘I Forgive Him!’ Erika Kirk Absolves Her Husband’s Suspected Assassin in Utterly Heart-Wrenching Moment.” ([link removed])
* Also from Mediaite, Jennifer Bowers Bahney with “‘Rising to the Moment!’ CNN Democratic Contributor Raves About Erika Kirk’s Speech at Memorial Service.” ([link removed])
* The Associated Press with “Photos of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.” ([link removed])
* The Hill’s Brett Samuels with five takeaways ([link removed]) from the memorial.
* Deadline’s Dominic Patten and Ted Johnson with “Charlie Kirk Memorial Sees Donald Trump Rail Against Jimmy Kimmel & ‘Radical Left’ In Tribute To Slain MAGA Activist: ‘I Hate My Opponents & I Don’t Want The Best For Them.’” ([link removed])


** Media tidbits
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* MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow will interview former Vice President Kamala Harris on her show tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern.
* Vanity Fair’s Natalie Korach with “Peter Doocy Talks Charlie Kirk, Trump Death Rumors, and Being a Fox News Nepo Baby.” ([link removed])
* I mentioned in Friday’s newsletter that Vanity Fair made several new hires, including Aidan McLaughlin, who has been the editor-in-chief of Mediaite since 2018. Mediaite founder Dan Abrams has already named McLaughlin’s replacement. It’s Joe DePaolo, who has worked with Abrams at Mediaite for nearly a decade.
* McLaughlin was also hosting Mediaite’s “Press Club” podcast. Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall will take over as host of “Press Club.”
* The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel, Andrew Marchand and Scott Dochterman with “What Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports reveal about Fox and the Big Ten’s relationship.” ([link removed])


** Hot type
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* “CBS News Sunday Morning" and correspondent Lee Cowan profile Priscilla Presley ([link removed]) as she releases her new book about her life after Elvis.
* And here’s Cowan’s extended interview ([link removed]) with Presley.


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