Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship

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

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.