Free speech is often called the beating heart of American democracy — and for good reason. The First Amendment guarantees us the ability to speak freely, protect against injustice and seek proper legal defense. It ensures that government power is kept in check through judicial oversight. These rights are what allow Americans to live as we do every day— acting and speaking freely — within reason — and holding power accountable.
Yet today, these rights are under threat. President Trump and his administration have launched a series of attacks that systematically undermine these protections, targeting students, universities, the press, the legal profession and even the courts. Despite the seriousness of these threats, the news has often failed to cover them fully — sometimes due to direct efforts to control what reaches the public. Americans are not nearly worried enough about what is at stake. Let’s review what is happening and why it matters.
For one, the Trump administration has targeted protestors and students. He has revoked student visas from more than 300 people, “primarily targeting international students involved in pro-Palestinian protests.” Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, even admitted “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas.” In practice, it punishes students for exercising political expression, quieting dissent and threatening their futures.
Beyond that, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has terminated “thousands of SEVIS” records from international students who had encounters with law enforcement. While this sounds reasonable, many of these encounters were for minor interactions such as traffic violations — many of which were later dropped or dismissed. While the administration claimed this was about security, the effect was much broader: international students suddenly found their futures in jeopardy for trivial reasons. When students know even a small infraction could cost them their visa, many will avoid protests or activism altogether. Whether international or not, the result is the same — student voices are silenced.
Along with this, the Trump administration has also threatened to cut off millions in federal funding. Columbia University provides a striking example: earlier this year, $400 million in research grants were frozen, citing the university’s alleged failure to combat antisemitism during the Israel-Hamas war. To receive $220 million from the government, Columbia had to implement measures such as implementing disciplinary systems, shutting down programs tied to DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) goals and issuing reports proving programs don’t promote “unlawful DEI outcomes.” President Trump praised Columbia in ending these DEI policies and warned more universities that they would face similar scrutiny if they failed to follow suit.
The impact goes beyond Columbia. By using federal funds as leverage, the administration pressured universities to suppress speech, activism and academic programs that did not align with its agenda. Institutions meant to protect free expression and open debate were instead coerced into policing it.
The Trump administration has even gone as far as attacking the legal profession. Executive orders were issued targeting law firms that represent Trump’s political opponents. On March 27, he targeted five large law firms and moved to terminate their federal government contracts, which would limit them from being able to enter federal buildings and bar their interaction with federal employees in some cases. Among those targeted was Robert Mueller, who had been appointed by the Justice Department to investigate connections between Russia and Trump after the 2016 election. Others have been at odds with Trump or involved in investigations about him.
The pressure campaign escalated in early 2025, when nine major law firms struck settlements with the administration to avoid losing their government contracts. In return, the firms had to pledge nearly $1 billion in pro bono legal work for causes Trump favored. This effectively weaponized executive power to punish lawyers for who they represented, undermining the independence of the legal profession and threatening the right to fair legal defense — another pillar of the First Amendment.
He has also defied federal judges who halted deportations and executive actions. For instance, when deporting hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to override a federal judge’s order temporarily blocking the action. The last time this act was used was during World War II to justify the internment of Japanese Americans and detention of Germans and Italians. In doing this, the executive branch openly defied a court order and undermined judicial authority and the systems of checks and balances. Observers warned that this represented an expansion of unchecked executive power that threatens the rule of law itself.
This brings us to Trump’s attempts to restrict the press. He has gone as far as banning certain outlets such as the Associated Press from presidential events simply due to editorial decisions. Trump continues to publicly threaten broadcast television and news networks, suggesting that they should have their licenses revoked for unfavorable coverage. Most notably, pressure from the administration contributed to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel for several days after the host made comments about Charlie Kirk’s death. When the president suggests that networks or programs critical of him should be ‘taken away,’ it becomes clear that what happened to Kimmel may only be the beginning. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Taken together, these actions represent far more than isolated incidents. From silencing students and intimidating universities, to punishing lawyers, defying judges and threatening the press, the Trump administration has systematically chipped away at the First Amendment. The erosion of free expression rarely happens all at once — it is dismantled piece by piece, until the right to speak, protest, defend and report freely no longer exists in practice. If Americans fail to recognize and resist these attacks, we risk losing the very freedoms that define our democracy.