Free Speech Means You Can Criticize Anyone

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch examine President Donald Trump’s claim that overwhelmingly negative coverage of him is “no longer free speech,” suggesting that criticism of the president could be treated as illegal. They explore how this rhetoric fits into his broader war on the press, from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) pressure that pushed ABC to suspend Jimmy Kimmel to new speech restrictions floated by senior officials, and why these moves strike at the core of the First Amendment.

The editors then turn to disclosures about a closed bribery investigation involving Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, and what it signals about corruption risks around immigration policy. They assess the implications of U.S. strikes on Venezuelan drug boats and the danger of rapid escalation of tensions, along with Trump’s hints about reentering Afghanistan. A listener question then prompts each editor to name the view their colleagues would likely consider least libertarian.

0:00—Does free speech cover criticism?

23:09—Holman’s bribery scandal

39:09—Listener question on least libertarian views

49:28—Venezuela and Afghanistan foreign policy news

57:43—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

“The FCC’s Involvement in Canceling Jimmy Kimmel Was ‘Unbelievably Dangerous,’ Ted Cruz Says,” by Jacob Sullum

“America’s Free Speech Culture Is Under Attack From Within,” by J.D. Tuccille

“Should Elected Officials Censor Americans? Trump’s Administration Says Yes,” by Joe Lancaster

“The FCC Should Let Jimmy Kimmel Be,” by Robby Soave

“Brendan Carr Flagrantly Abused His Powers To Cancel Jimmy Kimmel,” by Jacob Sullum

“Pam Bondi Is Really Wrong About Hate Speech,” by Robby Soave

“Abolish the FCC,” by Nick Gillespie

“Hail to the Censor!” by Matt Welch

“The $100,000 Visa,” by Liz Wolfe

“Trump Is Openly Using the Presidency To Enrich the Trump Brand,” by Matt Welch

“Americans Like Drugs. Killing Drug Traffickers Won’t Change That,” by Tosin Akintola

“Donald Trump Is Not a Peace President,” by Steven Greenhut

“Another Military Strike on a Speedboat Confirms Trump’s Policy of Murdering Suspected Drug Smugglers,” by Jacob Sullum

“The Government Was Lying to You About Afghanistan. Dan Krauss Has the Receipts,” by Matthew Petti

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• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Free Speech Means You Can Criticize Anyone appeared first on Reason.com.

Source: https://reason.com/podcast/2025/09/22/free-speech-means-you-can-criticize-anyone/