1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my grave concern about National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 (NSPM-7), titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," and to urge you to take immediate action to repeal this dangerous directive. NSPM-7 represents an unprecedented threat to our First Amendment rights and the very foundations of our democracy. This memo, issued by President Trump, creates a national strategy that could potentially label law-abiding citizens as domestic terrorists for expressing views deemed "anti-Christian," "anti-capitalism," or "anti-American." Such broad and vague criteria open the door to widespread abuse and suppression of constitutionally protected speech. The implications of NSPM-7 are far-reaching and deeply troubling. Major law firms, including Arnold & Porter, WilmerHale, and Elias Law Group, have warned that this directive poses real dangers to tax-exempt organizations, their funders, officers, employees, and even indirect financial supporters. It empowers federal task forces to pursue individuals and groups based on their beliefs and associations, potentially criminalizing activities that have long been protected under the First Amendment. The scope of this directive is staggering. Sources indicate that the FBI's domestic terrorism watchlist is expected to double from about 5,000 U.S. citizens in the coming months due to NSPM-7. This massive expansion of government surveillance and potential prosecution of American citizens is reminiscent of the darkest chapters in our nation's history. Despite the gravity of this situation, there has been an alarming lack of response from Congress. Only Rep. Bennie Thompson has spoken out, rightly criticizing the memo as an excuse to stifle dissent and potentially label any American as a terrorist. We need more voices like his to stand up for our constitutional rights. I urge you to take immediate action. Introduce or support legislation to repeal NSPM-7. Call for congressional hearings to investigate the full implications of this directive. Demand transparency from the administration about how this memo is being implemented. Our First Amendment rights are too precious to be sacrificed in the name of national security. The chilling effect of NSPM-7 on free speech and association cannot be overstated. Like the PATRIOT Act before it, this directive represents a dangerous expansion of government power that threatens the very liberties it purports to protect. We must act now to preserve our constitutional rights and the open society that defines our nation.