Open Letter from Members of the Writers Guild of America Protesting Trump’s “Assault” on Freedom of Expression
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, More than 2,300 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have signed an open letter protesting what they call President Donald Trump’s “unprecedented and authoritarian assault” on freedom of expression. Signatories to the letter include Adam McKay, director of Vice; Spike Lee, director of Highest 2 Lowest; Mike Schur, producer of the series The Office and The Good Place; and Tony Gilroy, producer of the series Andor.
In part of the letter, these members criticize Trump’s “baseless” lawsuits against news organizations for publishing “reports he does not like,” citing as an example Paramount Global’s recent $16 million settlement. Trump had sued CBS’s 60 Minutes and Paramount, alleging that the program’s producers had edited an interview with Kamala Harris to help her.
The letter further claims that Republican members of Congress collaborated with the Trump administration to cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in an attempt to “silence PBS and NPR.”
The letter continues: “These un-American actions aimed at restricting reporting and the jokes that might be made are intended to stifle criticism and dissent. We do not have a king; we have a president. And the president does not decide what is said on television, in the movies, on stage, in bookstores, or in the news.”
$16 million for a “hurt ego”? Must be nice to have that kind of leverage. I’m glad the Writers Guild is calling out the bullying. It’s un-American.
This letter reminds me of some dark times in history. Controlling the narrative is the first step for any dictator. We have to keep the press independent.
As a writer myself, this scares me. If the WGA doesn’t stand up now, who will? We can’t let “baseless lawsuits” become a tool for government censorship.
Real patriots protect the First Amendment, even when it’s used to criticize them. Trying to silence dissent is the opposite of what this country stands for. Respect to the 2,300.
Love seeing the WGA use their collective voice like this. It’s not just about their jobs; it’s about the right of every American to speak their mind without being sued into poverty.
The “assault on freedom” isn’t an exaggeration. When a leader tries to dictate what’s “fair” or “good” in the media, it’s game over for the First Amendment.
I don’t agree with everything Hollywood says, but they’re right about one thing: the President isn’t our boss. He’s a public servant. He shouldn’t be suing the news.
Late-night jokes are part of American culture! If you can’t handle a comedian making fun of you, don’t run for office. Simple as that.
“We do not have a king”—man, that line in the letter hits hard. Since when does the President get to decide what jokes we’re allowed to hear? Good on the WGA for standing up.
It’s 2026 and we’re still fighting for basic free speech? If the government starts picking what’s on TV, we’re basically watching state-run media. Glad Spike Lee and the others are calling this out.
A president isn’t a royal. You don’t like a joke or a report? Too bad. That’s democracy. These lawsuits are just a way to bully people into silence.
That $16 million settlement by Paramount is a scary precedent. It basically says if you have enough power, you can sue a news agency until they pay you to go away. WGA is right to be pissed.
$16 million just for editing an interview? That’s how TV works! Every show is edited. If this is the new normal, investigative journalism is officially dead.
Paramount should’ve had more backbone. Settling these “frivolous” lawsuits just encourages more of them. We need more writers willing to speak truth to power.
Trying to cut funding for PBS and NPR is a classic move to silence the voices you can’t control. My kids grew up on PBS. This isn’t about money, it’s about control.
First they come for the late-night jokes, then they come for public broadcasting. It’s a slippery slope. Glad to see 2,300 writers putting their names on the line.
NPR and PBS are some of the only places left for actual reporting. Using Congress to pull their plug just because they aren’t “loyal” is straight-up authoritarian.
Tony Gilroy and Mike Schur? Those guys know how to tell a story. If they’re worried enough to sign this, we should all be paying attention. Freedom of expression isn’t negotiable.