Trump’s Efforts to Weaponize the Government to Suppress Americans’ Voices and Rights Won’t Work

Washington, DC- On Thursday, September 25, Donald Trump issued an unprecedented memorandum attempting to illegally strip Americans of our Constitutionally-protected rights.

The order instructs the National Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate individuals and organizations that it considers to be engaged in inciting political violence, laying out a definition of these activities so broad that it would essentially allow the administration to attack anyone it disagrees with.

Following Donald Trump repeatedly breaking promises he's made to protect freedom of speech - a fundamental right protected by the First Amendment​ - this memorandum breaks yet another one. In 2019, Trump claimed he would "never allow the IRS to be used as a political weapon."

In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Loren Blackford released the following statement:

"This is an illegal power grab intended to silence anyone who exercises their Constitutional right to speak out and organize to build a better future. It will not work. The administration is using fear tactics and intimidation to suppress criticism and opposition and to prioritize the interests of a corrupt and powerful few. They think these authoritarian measures will shut us up, but they could not be more wrong.

"Rather than joining the Sierra Club and the millions of Americans, organizations, and institutions in denouncing all political violence, Donald Trump is seeking to incite it by branding his opponents as domestic terrorists. This desperate, dangerous, and un-American effort is a disturbing attempt by this administration to subvert democracy and corrupt the rule of law.

"For 133 years, Sierra Club has advocated for all Americans to have access to our public lands; to clean air and water; to affordable and reliable energy and to safe and healthy communities. Like so many Americans across the political spectrum, we depend on free speech, peaceful assembly and a functioning democracy to create a brighter future for us all.

"Attempting to strip Americans of our right to advocate is not just wrong, it is illegal. The Sierra Club is not backing down. We proudly stand up for our values and urge every American who loves freedom and democracy to do the same."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.