US President Trump reportedly plans to use tax and criminal probes to target left-wing groups he accuses of fomenting political violence, as the battle over speech metastasizes beyond media companies.
The moves are part of a Republican-led crackdown against those critical of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk: The country’s media regulator pressured ABC to pull late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Trump also floated revoking broadcast licenses for networks that are “against” him.
Kimmel’s suspension sparked concerns of a new era of censorship. “For the MAGA crowd who might like what they’re seeing… Remember that Democrats will wield this power again,” The Free Press wrote. “And when they do, they will play by the new rules” that Trump established.