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 speech in "historically democratic nations."

It also requires 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 contacted or which countries have agreed to sign it.

Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, confirmed on Thursday that a draft document on "freedom of expression" emerged from recent discussions at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

In a post on X on Thursday the 16th, Under Secretary Rogers stated, "We have drafted a joint statement to promote transparency and build consensus," adding, "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 foreign 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 reported that the move comes amid escalating 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.

These reports also come amid growing concerns that South Korea’s proposed amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act could harm American companies.

The Trump administration argues that both the EU's Digital Services Act and South Korea's proposed amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act constitute censorship and place an undue burden on U.S. tech companies.

The European Commission 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 violations of the law.

In South Korea, while petitions have been filed calling for the repeal of the proposed amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act, it remains to be seen how the National Assembly will handle the matter.

Vice President JD Vance brought this dispute to international attention during his speech at the Munich Security Conference in February 2025, where he argued that the greatest threat to Europe comes not from Russia or China, but from the restrictive measures 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-gu / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com