Actor Sean Penn has publicly mourned the death of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, calling for renewed respect for opposing views in American discourse—even those he disagrees with. In a rare moment of ideological bridge-building, the left-leaning Hollywood star emphasized the need for open, honest debate and condemned political violence from all sides.
Actress Angelina Jolie shocked audiences at the San Sebastián Film Festival in Spain on Sunday, stating she no longer recognizes the United States due to what she views as growing threats to free speech. The emotional moment came during a press conference where Jolie promoted her latest project, Couture.
On Sunday’s edition of Meet the Press, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro accused President Donald Trump of trying to silence dissenting voices, particularly in relation to recent events involving comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Shapiro expressed concern that removing Kimmel from the airwaves for making a joke about Trump—and then for criticizing his response—represents a dangerous precedent for free speech in America.
Bill Maher closed out Friday’s Real Time by making a case for protecting free speech—even when it’s uncomfortable. He argued that while flag burning might offend many, criminalizing it undermines a core American value. He also warned that censorship and punishment of speech could make the U.S. resemble the U.K., where people reportedly face arrests for contentious social media posts.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage delivered a stark warning to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to confront growing censorship laws in Britain that he claims threaten free expression across the Western world. Speaking before the House Judiciary Committee, Farage compared the United Kingdom to “North Korea” and called on the United States to pressure its ally to uphold shared values of liberty and free speech.
A federal judge has struck down California’s law banning AI-generated political parody videos, ruling in favor of Elon Musk’s platform X, the Babylon Bee, and video-sharing site Rumble. The plaintiffs argued the law infringed on free speech, and U.S. District Judge John Mendez agreed, citing federal protections for online platforms.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, condemned the United Kingdom’s recent decision to outlaw activist group Palestine Action, calling it a “disturbing” misuse of counter-terrorism law. The ban, enacted under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000, took effect earlier this month after group members caused £7 million in damages by vandalizing aircraft at an air force base in southern England.
