Nigel Farage told U.S. lawmakers this week that Britain and the EU’s online speech laws threaten free expression on both sides of the Atlantic, urging Washington to push back against what he called “authoritarian overreach.”
For more than three hours, Farage faced Democratic congressmen, who accused him of being a “free speech impostor” and even a “Putin admirer.” The former UKIP leader remained unfazed by the attacks and responded with irony: “That’s the beauty of free speech: you can say whatever you like, and I don’t care.” He warned that European regulations like Brussels’ Digital Services Act or Britain’s Online Safety Act could shape public debate far beyond Europe’s borders.
Farage cited recent examples to highlight Britain’s growing crackdown on speech. Irish screenwriter Graham Linehan was detained at Heathrow over a series of tweets critical of the trans movement. British mother Lucy Connolly received a 31-month prison sentence for a message against hotels housing migrants, even though she deleted it hours later. “This is not about defending what they wrote, but about warning of the disproportionate state reactions,” Farage argued, noting that any American citizen could face similar consequences upon stepping onto British soil if their posts displeased the police.
The contrast between Republicans and Democrats was stark. While the former applauded his intervention and even described him as a “possible future British prime minister,” the latter sought to dismiss him as a fringe figure. Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin accused the session of being “a drive-by hit against a democratic ally” to benefit Donald Trump. Farage responded that “the United Kingdom has sunk into an authoritarian situation reminiscent of North Korea.”
One of the most controversial points was Farage’s recommendation to Washington to use trade as leverage against London and Brussels. Although he denied advocating sanctions, he did ask the U.S. government to declare that foreign restrictions on free speech “do not affect American citizens or companies based in the United States.” In other words, the First Amendment should prevail over European rules.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the initiative “absolutely unpatriotic.” From the Labour benches, the Reform UK leader was accused of “badmouthing his own country” abroad. However, Farage replied that all he seeks is an honest debate among allies: “If we don’t fix these laws, there will be serious implications for both sides of the Atlantic.”
Farage’s appearance comes amid a growing clash over online speech laws—pitting those who prioritise “safety” and state control against those warning that censorship always opens the door to authoritarianism.
That it took a British politician and Trump ally to raise the alarm in Washington shows how far Europe has moved towards speech restrictions.
