More than 2,300 members of the Writers Guild of America West and East (WGA) — including many award-winning writers — have signed a bold open letter condemning the Trump administration’s escalating threats to free speech and independent media.
The letter criticizes recent events such as the cancellation of late-night shows, the settlement of the 60 Minutes lawsuit, and defunding of public broadcasters. The union collectively declares that these actions represent “unprecedented, authoritarian assault” on the First Amendment.
Prominent signatories include Spike Lee, Celine Song, Adam McKay, Alfonso Cuarón, Kenneth Lonergan, David Simon, Mike Schur, Ilana Glazer, and many more. These creators span across film, television, and journalism, showing a unified industry voice in defense of freedom of expression.
The Core Message of the WGA Letter
“We are members of the Writers Guild of America who speak with one voice to decry the dangerous and escalating attacks on the First Amendment, independent media, and the free press,” the letter declares.
It highlights how President Trump has:
-
Filed baseless lawsuits against news outlets like 60 Minutes.
-
Retaliated against factual reporting by threatening broadcaster licenses.
-
Pushed for the cancellation of shows such as The View and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
-
Allegedly influenced the FCC’s approval of the Skydance-Paramount merger through political pressure.
Targeting Public Media and Journalism
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds PBS and NPR, has also been defunded with the support of Congressional Republicans. This move, according to the WGA, is aimed at silencing independent journalism.
See More ...
The letter calls such actions “un-American attempts” to limit storytelling, suppress satire, and censor criticism. It defends the right of artists and journalists to create without political interference, reinforcing that the president should not control media content.
A Call to Action
The WGA urges:
-
Elected officials and industry leaders to oppose political overreach.
-
Audiences to join in defending democratic values.
-
Writers and creators to continue standing strong in the face of suppression.
“We don’t have a king, we have a president… The president doesn’t get to pick what’s on television, in movie theaters, on stage, on our bookshelves, or in the news.”
The union emphasizes that free speech endures only through the dedication of each generation, and that the current wave of suppression will eventually pass. When it does, the world will remember those who had the courage to speak out.
