Jane Fonda delivered a stark warning to Hollywood on Sunday, urging the entertainment industry to resist what she called the Trump administration’s assault on democratic institutions. Speaking at the “Rise Up, Sing Out” concert in New York City, the 88-year-old actor and activist said the country is under coordinated attack from all three branches of government.
“We have come under attack, but this time, what is really different from the last century are the attacks are coming from every part of the government: the executive, the legislative, and the Supreme Court,” Fonda told the crowd. The event was organized by her Committee for the First Amendment, a group her father Henry Fonda founded during the McCarthy era and which she revived last year.
The concert was held on Flag Day, the same night as “UFC Freedom 250,” a White House event marking President Trump’s 80th birthday. The timing underscored a deepening cultural divide, with Fonda’s gathering positioning itself as a direct counterpoint to Trump’s celebration. Some former White House officials have criticized Hollywood’s escalating rhetoric against Trump, but Fonda doubled down.
“There is a clear effort to destroy our fundamental democratic rights and dramatically retake our form of governance,” she said, echoing a theme she has pressed since Trump’s return to office. She called on the industry to be “unified, activated and unwilling to engage in anticipatory obedience”—a phrase that resonated with many in the audience who fear a chill on free expression.
Fonda, a vocal Trump critic, argued that the current threat mirrors the Red Scare of the 1950s. “I think the Un-American Activities Committee right now is coming from the White House,” she said, drawing applause. She framed the administration’s actions as a backlash against progressive victories. “It’s because of all the victories that we’ve won: Victories in civil rights and in social justice. They’re trying to roll them all back.”
Her remarks come amid broader tensions between Hollywood and the White House, with recent labor negotiations and policy disputes fueling friction. The Directors Guild recently reached a tentative deal with studios, but political activism in the industry remains a flashpoint. Fonda insisted the fight transcends party lines. “It’s not about Democrat or Republican, or left or right. It’s about right or wrong,” she said.
The Academy Award winner warned that dissenters are being branded as terrorists for exercising their rights. “It is wrong for people to be attacked and called ‘terrorists’ for exercising their rights and freedoms,” she said. She concluded with a call for nonviolent resistance: “It’s time for Americans all across the country, all across the political spectrum, who care about these freedoms to stand up—creatively, nonviolently—to defend these rights while we can.”
Fonda’s activism has intensified as Trump’s second term advances, with critics accusing her of fear-mongering and supporters praising her as a necessary watchdog. The debate over patriotism in the Trump era continues to shape political discourse, and Fonda’s message is likely to reverberate in both Hollywood and Washington.
