A Melbourne-based writer was recently detained and then turned back at the US border because of his online posts about last year’s protests at Columbia University. That is not the kind of example that the US needs to be setting on free speech.

Earlier this year, Vice President JD Vance talked at the Munich Security Conference about the rise in government censorship worldwide and promised that the United States would champion free speech. “Under Donald Trump’s leadership, we may disagree with your views, but we will fight to defend your right to offer them in the public square.” It’s a principled stance, and one that should apply regardless of who is in power or what the writer believes. Denying someone entry over their Substack posts sends the opposite message.

Dissent, debate, and free discourse are fundamental to progress and a free society. This isn’t about a particular writer's views. It’s about a core democratic value: the right to express dissenting opinions without fear of state retaliation. In an era of growing censorship around the world, it’s more important than ever that the U.S. stand up for free speech—not just in practice, but in the example it sets for the world.

You can read our full statement on The Substack Post.