Just 30 minutes ago, BBC reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom posted a shocking post on social media, in which he accused former President Donald Trump of gradually “erasing” free speech in the US. Newsom’s post was not only a warning, but also a direct indictment of Mr. Trump’s latest actions related to firing, controlling the media and banning opposing voices.

According to Newsom, the banning of Jimmy Kimmel – one of the familiar faces of American television – was not an isolated incident, but part of a calculated strategy. “Trump is deliberately buying and controlling media platforms. He fires commentators, cancels shows, and eliminates anyone who dares to criticize him. This is absolutely not a coincidence,” Newsom wrote in the post.

This accusation immediately attracted public attention. Thousands of comments appeared in just a few minutes, many expressing outrage and fear about a prospect where freedom of speech – considered the foundation of American democracy – is gradually disappearing. Some opinions said that, if what Newsom said is true, America is sliding down the path of political censorship like the authoritarian countries that Washington itself has previously condemned.

However, Trump supporters immediately denied it. They said Newsom was “exaggerating the truth” to undermine Trump’s political reputation. Some conservative figures also accused Newsom of using the Jimmy Kimmel incident as a political springboard, because he himself has bigger ambitions on the national stage. They asserted that the cancellation of programs or the removal of commentators is not necessarily Trump’s fault, but also the decision of media companies.

However, the reality shows that there is a dangerous trend: more and more dissenting voices are “disappearing” from mainstream channels. The Jimmy Kimmel case is just one of them, but it is a powerful symbol. A host with millions of loyal viewers, a program that has existed for many years, is now removed just because he dared to touch on powerful figures. This makes many people ask: will anyone dare to speak up when the price is their career, reputation and even personal freedom? Gavin Newsom, in his message, went further, implying that “Trump’s next step” will be even more dangerous. Although he did not reveal details, the tone of the article shows that he believes that Trump will continue to expand his control of the media, even moving towards “monopolizing” the flow of information. This is a scenario that many political scholars have warned about: when an individual or a faction has absolute control of the media, democracy will no longer be democracy.