The Trump administration is reportedly preparing a draft international declaration on freedom of expression ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September. The administration is seeking support from world leaders for this document, which challenges laws that regulate online speech and platform censorship.

The draft declaration, obtained by Politico, urges governments to reject "new laws" and "regulatory frameworks" that the U.S. administration claims threaten freedom of expression in "historically democratic nations."

It also calls on signatories to "commit" to "recognizing" that penalizing "false speech"—including "disinformation," "misinformation," or "hate speech"—can threaten "freedom of expression" unless such speech directly incites violence.

The document is still in the draft stage, and the administration has not disclosed which governments it has approached or which countries have agreed to sign it.

Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Sarah Rogers confirmed on Thursday that the draft document on "freedom of expression" emerged from recent discussions at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In an X post on Thursday the 16th, Under Secretary Rogers stated, "We have drafted a joint statement to promote transparency and build consensus," adding that "this statement is intended to express friendship and shared values, while also serving as a source of interpretative guidance for U.S. media companies complying with overseas laws."

Rogers, who was sworn in on October 10 of last year, added that this declaration is not intended to invalidate the European Union's Digital Services Act.

However, Newsmax reports that the move comes amid deepening tensions between Washington and Brussels over the EU law, which requires major online platforms to handle illegal content, disclose information about content moderation decisions, and mitigate systemic risks.

Furthermore, these reports emerge as concerns grow that amendments to South Korea’s Information and Communications Network Act could also harm U.S. companies.

The Trump administration points to both the EU’s Digital Services Act and South Korea’s proposed amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act as forms of censorship, arguing that they place an undue burden on U.S. technology companies.

The European Commission has stated that the Digital Services Act is intended to create an online environment that protects fundamental rights while combating illegal content, products, and services. Companies can be fined up to 6% of their global annual turnover for violating the law.

In South Korea, while a petition to repeal the amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act has been filed, it remains unclear how the National Assembly will handle the matter.

Vice President J.D. Vance elevated this dispute to a matter of international concern during his speech at the Munich Security Conference in February 2025, arguing that the greatest danger to Europe does not come from Russia or China, but from the restrictions imposed from within the European continent itself.

The 81st UN General Assembly is scheduled to open in New York on September 8, with the high-level general debate set to begin on September 22.

U.S. NNP = Representative Reporter Hong Sung-goo / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com