1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

**Protect First Amendment Rights Against Presidential Overreach** I am writing to express my deep concern over recent statements made by President Donald Trump that suggest he believes being "anti-Trump" could be illegal. This alarming rhetoric, directed at late-night TV host Seth Meyers, represents a fundamental misunderstanding of our First Amendment rights and poses a threat to the bedrock principles of our democracy. On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump attacked Meyers, calling him the "least talented person to 'perform' live in the history of television." More troublingly, Trump insinuated that Meyers' critiques of him might be against the law. It's crucial to emphasize that political satire and criticism of public figures, including presidents, are protected forms of speech under the First Amendment. The suggestion that such expression could be criminalized is not only factually incorrect but also dangerous to the very fabric of our free society. This is not an isolated incident. Trump has a history of attacking late-night hosts who criticize him, including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon. His celebration of show cancellations and suspensions of those who disagree with him demonstrates a pattern of attempting to silence dissent. As my representative, I urge you to speak out against any attempts to criminalize or suppress protected speech. We must reaffirm our commitment to First Amendment rights, regardless of political affiliation. Please consider making a public statement defending the right to critique and satirize public figures, and work to ensure that no legislation is introduced that could infringe upon these essential freedoms. The strength of our democracy relies on the robust exchange of ideas and the ability to hold our leaders accountable. We must not allow intimidation tactics or misrepresentations of the law to erode these fundamental rights. I look forward to hearing about your actions to protect free speech and maintain the integrity of our constitutional protections.