Reform UK Leader Farage Meets Trump After US Freedom of Speech Hearing

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and MP for Clacton, met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office during a trip to Washington where he testified before the House Judiciary Committee about perceived threats to free speech from UK's online safety laws. Farage criticized the UK government, likening Britain's civil liberties situation to North Korea's, citing the arrest of Irish author Graham Linehan for social media comments and the jailing of Lucy Connolly for stirring racial hatred, warning these actions could threaten free speech and trade between the UK and US. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin sharply rebuked Farage, labeling him a "Putin-loving free speech impostor and Trump sycophant," and urged him to address these issues in the UK Parliament rather than the US Congress. The hearing highlighted a political divide, with Farage using the moment to criticize what he views as authoritarianism in the UK, while US Democrats attacked Farage's motives and political alignment with Trump. Farage's presence and comments have sparked both ridicule and political controversy, with social media users calling him a "lap dog" of Trump and critics questioning his approach to free speech advocacy. The episode underscores broader tensions over free speech, online regulation, and political posturing on both sides of the Atlantic.