The arrest of comedian Graham Linehan at Heathrow for three tweets—yes, tweets—shows just how far the U.K. has tumbled into authoritarianism. Five police officers dragged off the creator of Father Ted and The I.T. Crowd not for violence, not for incitement, but for daring to criticize the transgender movement. Apparently, in Britain, men can wear dresses and gain “magical wizardry powers” over law enforcement. George Orwell is rolling in his grave—though he’d probably be arrested for writing 1984 if he published it today.

This isn’t new. The U.K. now arrests as many as 30 people every single day for online speech. Some get harsher sentences for tweets than violent rioters do for trying to kick down doors. But arresting someone as well-known as Linehan is a step up—it’s the state daring people to object while showing the world that free speech in Britain is effectively dead.

Here’s where American exceptionalism shines through. In our country, thanks to the First Amendment, it’s unthinkable to arrest someone over jokes, no matter how offensive. We’re the only nation with real constitutional free speech protections. Liberals sneer at “American exceptionalism,” but this is exactly what makes us exceptional. Trump himself has faced relentless attempts at censorship, deplatforming, and lawfare—and he’s still standing. That’s called resilience. That’s called America.

The contrast is clear. Europe is silencing dissent while pretending to defend democracy. Our Vice President, J.D. Vance, recently called them out to their faces, reminding European elites that if they can’t even tolerate criticism from their own voters, they’ve lost the moral authority to lead. Naturally, media elites clutched their pearls and accused Vance of bringing a “culture war” to Europe. Heaven forbid anyone point out that arresting comedians for tweets looks a lot more like Putin than Washington.

What’s happening in the U.K. is also tied to the Left’s most militant cause: transgender ideology. It demands everyone deny basic biological reality, and if you refuse, you risk arrest. In Britain, trans activists are untouchable. Ordinary citizens get locked up for “hate speech,” but trans activists can make explicit threats of violence without consequence. This is the two-tiered justice system the Left always builds. Sound familiar?

Here in America, we can’t let this poison take root. And thanks to Trump’s leadership, Americans are pushing back harder than ever. From dismantling woke policies to standing against censorship, the cultural momentum is shifting. Our job now is to protect the First Amendment, call out hypocrisy abroad, and remind the world that free speech is non-negotiable.

The lesson is simple: if America stands firm, freedom wins. And as Trump has shown us time and again, when you refuse to bow to the self-appointed elites, the people rally behind you. That’s how we protect liberty here, and how we inspire it abroad.