White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway looks toward U.S. President Donald Trump during a working lunch with governors on workforce freedom and mobility in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 13, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis - RC142C0BC4B0
Trump showed that he doesn’t understand how free speech works while refusing to fire Kellyanne Conway.
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Trump said on Fox and Friends, “It’s just not fair. They asked a question – I think one of them was involved with your show – You ask a person a question and every time you are supposed to say ‘I can’t answer, I can’t answer?’ She has to have the right of responding to questions. It really sounds to me like a free-speech thing.
When asked if he was going to fire her, Trump said, “No, I’m not going to fire her. I think she’s a tremendous person, she’s loyal, she’s a great person. Based on what I saw yesterday, how could you do that? They have tried to take away her speech and I think you’re entitled to free speech in this country.”
Trump was asked if he was going to tell her to stop breaking the law, he answered, “It doesn’t work that way…She’s trying to make a point and how could you do this? Basically, you take a person — a person wouldn’t be able to express themselves and I just don’t see it.”
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Trump made a common mistake, especially among Republicans. Free speech doesn’t mean that people can say anything they want. A government official can’t abuse their position to engage in partisan politics. That’s not free speech. Kellyanne Conway as a government official does not have a right to use her White House position to engage in partisan politics. Free speech does not mean that there are no limits. There are specific laws, like the Hatch Act, that are intended to govern conduct by government officials.
Donald Trump has no clue what free speech is.
Kellyanne Conway would never have gotten a job in any other administration, much less been able to keep one.
Trump’s answer was an attack on the law. The President Of The United States doesn’t know what free speech is. What is even worse is that he doesn’t care.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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