White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt called free speech “arguably the most important issue of our time” and affirmed President Donald Trump’s commitment to fighting international censorship.
Twitter Files journalist Michael Shellenberger attended a White House press briefing on Tuesday and asked Leavitt about governments abroad that are not only targeting their own political candidates but trying to force American social media companies to censor online speech. Leavitt declared that Trump is “making sure that freedom of speech remains here in the United States of America” and abroad.
Shellenberger asked if Leavitt could “give some insight where the President is considering additional measures against Europe and Brazil, not just for censorship, but also for preventing political candidates from actually competing in elections.”
He specifically mentioned former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. “All of this is coming in the context of increased censorship of online platforms, of American platforms, and efforts to censor Americans,” Shellenberger added. “I'm personally being investigated under criminal investigation with my Brazilian colleagues for publishing the Twitter Files Brazil.”
Then, Shellenberger asked whether Trump plans to impose any more sanctions as he did on Brazil’s Justice Alexandre De Moraes. “Is he considering doing anything about this crackdown in Europe?” the Twitter Files journalist questioned.
Karoline Leavitt: Free speech is “arguably the most important issue of our time”
— Catherine Salgado (@CatSalgado32) Sep 10, 2025
Leavitt replied, calling freedom of speech “arguably the most important issue of our time,” adding, “It is enshrined in our Constitution, and the President believes in it strongly.” She further noted that Vice President JD Vance and the entire administration are equally dedicated, “which is why we have taken significant action with regards to Brazil, in the form of both sanctions and also leveraging the use of tariffs.”
Trump, Leavitt continued, “is unafraid to use the economic might, the military might of the United States of America to protect free speech around the world.”
Shellenberger followed up by asking how global censorship is impacting trade negotiations, and whether NATO can continue to keep its members if they are no longer democracies that uphold free speech.
While disclaiming any information on the NATO memberships, Leavitt confirmed of Trump, “I have heard him discuss the issue of free speech and the importance of free speech with foreign leaders around the world, including the prime minister of United Kingdom, when we were in Scotland.” Indeed, she concluded, “I think the entire world knows that this is a priority for the President of the United States.”
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