Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship, 8243-8244 [2025-01902]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 17 / Tuesday, January 28, 2025 / Presidential Documents 8243 Presidential Documents Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025 Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Purpose. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, an amendment essential to the success of our Republic, enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference. Over the last 4 years, the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve. Under the guise of combatting ‘‘misinformation,’’ ‘‘disinformation,’’ and ‘‘malinformation,’’ the Federal Government infringed on the constitutionally protected speech rights of American citizens across the United States in a manner that advanced the Government’s preferred narrative about significant matters of public debate. Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society. Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to: (a) secure the right of the American people to engage in constitutionally protected speech; (b) ensure that no Federal Government officer, employee, or agent engages in or facilitates any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen; ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PRESDOC-E2 (c) ensure that no taxpayer resources are used to engage in or facilitate any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen; and (d) identify and take appropriate action to correct past misconduct by the Federal Government related to censorship of protected speech. Sec. 3. Ending Censorship of Protected Speech. (a) No Federal department, agency, entity, officer, employee, or agent may act or use any Federal resources in a manner contrary to section 2 of this order. (b) The Attorney General, in consultation with the heads of executive departments and agencies, shall investigate the activities of the Federal Government over the last 4 years that are inconsistent with the purposes and policies of this order and prepare a report to be submitted to the President, through the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, with recommendations for appropriate remedial actions to be taken based on the findings of the report. Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Jan 27, 2025 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4790 Sfmt 4790 E:\FR\FM\28JAE2.SGM 28JAE2 8244 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 17 / Tuesday, January 28, 2025 / Presidential Documents against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. THE WHITE HOUSE, January 20, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025–01902 Filed 1–27–25; 8:45 am] VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Jan 27, 2025 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4790 Sfmt 4790 E:\FR\FM\28JAE2.SGM 28JAE2 Trump.EPS</GPH> ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PRESDOC-E2 Billing code 3395–F4–P

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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 28, 2025)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8243-8244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01902]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 17 / Tuesday, January 28, 2025 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 8243]]


                Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025

                
Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal 
                Censorship

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and section 301 of title 3, United States 
                Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Purpose. The First Amendment to the United 
                States Constitution, an amendment essential to the 
                success of our Republic, enshrines the right of the 
                American people to speak freely in the public square 
                without Government interference. Over the last 4 years, 
                the previous administration trampled free speech rights 
                by censoring Americans' speech on online platforms, 
                often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on 
                third parties, such as social media companies, to 
                moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that 
                the Federal Government did not approve. Under the guise 
                of combatting ``misinformation,'' ``disinformation,'' 
                and ``malinformation,'' the Federal Government 
                infringed on the constitutionally protected speech 
                rights of American citizens across the United States in 
                a manner that advanced the Government's preferred 
                narrative about significant matters of public debate. 
                Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a 
                free society.

                Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States 
                to:

                    (a) secure the right of the American people to 
                engage in constitutionally protected speech;
                    (b) ensure that no Federal Government officer, 
                employee, or agent engages in or facilitates any 
                conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free 
                speech of any American citizen;
                    (c) ensure that no taxpayer resources are used to 
                engage in or facilitate any conduct that would 
                unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any 
                American citizen; and
                    (d) identify and take appropriate action to correct 
                past misconduct by the Federal Government related to 
                censorship of protected speech.

                Sec. 3. Ending Censorship of Protected Speech. (a) No 
                Federal department, agency, entity, officer, employee, 
                or agent may act or use any Federal resources in a 
                manner contrary to section 2 of this order.

                    (b) The Attorney General, in consultation with the 
                heads of executive departments and agencies, shall 
                investigate the activities of the Federal Government 
                over the last 4 years that are inconsistent with the 
                purposes and policies of this order and prepare a 
                report to be submitted to the President, through the 
                Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, with recommendations 
                for appropriate remedial actions to be taken based on 
                the findings of the report.

                Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party

[[Page 8244]]

                against the United States, its departments, agencies, 
                or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    January 20, 2025.

[FR Doc. 2025-01902
Filed 1-27-25; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P
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