Jane Fonda Takes Aim at Trump White House, Warns of ‘Un-American Activities Committee’
Participants accused Trump and his allies of undermining First Amendment protections.
Published June 16 2026, 10:51 a.m. ET
Actors and entertainers gathered in New York on Sunday for Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment, an event featuring industry figures including Jane Fonda and Robert De Niro.
Participants accused Trump and his allies of undermining First Amendment protections.
The event was held the same evening as the UFC Freedom 250 celebration hosted by Trump. Questions have been raised about the event's planning and financing.
Fonda Invokes House Un-American Activities Committee
Jane Fonda criticized what she described as complacency in the entertainment industry. She said, “The Committee was relaunched last October to bring together the entertainment industry at this moment when our democracy is in peril.”
“In the face of what’s happening, we need our industry to be unified, activated, and unwilling to engage in anticipatory obedience,” she said, adding, “I think the un-American Activities Committee right now is coming from the White House.”
She grounded her remarks in personal history, noting that her father, actor Henry Fonda, was himself a member of the original Committee for the First Amendment, an organization founded in support of the Hollywood Ten, a group of film industry figures who were blacklisted after refusing to answer congressional questions about alleged communist ties.
Speakers Focus on Upcoming Midterm Elections
Criticism of the Trump administration was a recurring theme, with much of the discussion focused on the upcoming midterm elections.
Several speakers also cited concerns about expressed optimism about the Republican Party's position heading into the elections, a sentiment reinforced by widespread concern over the administration's sanctioning of military action in Iran.
Attendees raised concerns about multiple issues, including the experiences of minority communities under Trump and the influence of his political allies over the entertainment industry. The event ended with calls for political engagement to mobilize opposition to the administration's agenda.
The event was held during President Trump's 80th birthday celebration at the White House, which featured the UFC Freedom 250 bout on the South Lawn. The decision to host a UFC event at the White House drew criticism from some observers.
Several people associated with TKO, the UFC's parent company, were absent from the celebration, including Dwayne Johnson, whose representative confirmed he did not attend.