Donald Trump fuels major concern after claiming to have ‘taken free speech away’

Donald Trump has sparked worry online after he seemingly bragged about 'taking free speech away'.

Yep, you read that right - the US President, 79, made the concerning comments during a round-table press conference yesterday (8 October).

The Republican leader invited conservative influencers and right-wing media figures to the White House to discuss Antifa - a left-wing anti-fascist political movement which Trump has likened to a terrorist organisation.

The Trump organisation previously called it a 'militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law' in an executive order.

And during yesterday's meeting, he also discussed his recent announcement that anyone who gets convicted of burning a US flag will be sentenced to a year in prison.

He essentially argued that he took 'the freedom of speech away' because he believes burning a flag is equivalent to 'inciting a riot'.

Trump said: "We’ve made it one year penalty for inciting riots. We took the freedom of speech away, because that’s been through the courts, and the courts said, ‘you have freedom of speech', but what has happened is that when they burn the flag it agitates and irritates crowds … and you end up with riots."

However, as to be expected, openly admitting you're 'taking freedom of speech away' hasn't gone down too well with Americans.

Shocked, people took to Twitter to share their thoughts, writing: "Did I miss something? Do we no longer have free speech?" and: "So at least he is now openly admitting that he has imposed dictatorship in America."

A third added: "Never thought I would live to see the day I would watch the president of the United States talk about how he took away freedom of speech."

While a fourth penned: "No, you can't take freedom of speech away, nor prosecute someone for burning the flag."

And a fifth wrote: "I realise Trump says a torrent of insane stuff constantly, but 'we took the freedom of speech away' is an especially insane thing to say."

Donald Trump has worryingly said he's 'taken freedom of speech away' (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

"Trump says he “took the freedom of speech away” because burning a flag “irritates crowds.” This tyrant needs to be removed from office, immediately," demanded someone else.

It comes after the US president has been accused of 'authoritarian dictatorship' following his antics during the New York City mayoral race.

Trump seemed to not-so-subtly hint that he would withhold funding from the city if Democratic candidate Mamdani were to be elected.

He wrote: "Self proclaimed New York City Communist, Zohran Mamdani, who is running for Mayor, will prove to be one of the best things to ever happen to our great Republican Party.

"He is going to have problems with Washington like no Mayor in the history of our once great City. Remember, he needs the money from me, as President, in order to fulfill all of his FAKE Communist promises."

Before brutally adding: "He won’t be getting any of it, so what’s the point of voting for him? This ideology has failed, always, for thousands of years. It will fail again, and that’s guaranteed!"