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Former Mumford & Sons musician Winston Marshall posed a striking question to the White House on Monday, asking whether President Donald Trump would consider granting political asylum to British citizens punished for speech-related offenses.
Marshall, now a political commentator and podcast host, attended Monday’s White House press briefing and directed his question to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Citing growing concerns over censorship and prosecutions for online expression in the United Kingdom, Marshall asked if the Trump administration would consider offering refuge to individuals facing criminal penalties for speech.
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“In Britain, we have had a quarter of a million people issued non-crime hate incidents,” Marshall said.
“As we speak, there are people in prison for quite literally posting memes. We have extensive prison sentences for tweets, social media posts, and general free speech issues. Would the Trump administration consider political asylum for British citizens in such a situation?”
Leavitt responded with interest to the proposal.
“It’s a very good one,” Leavitt said.
“I have not heard that proposed to the president, nor have I spoken to him about that idea, but I certainly can and talk to our national security team and see if it’s something the administration would entertain.”
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Leavitt also noted that Vice President JD Vance has been “incredibly outspoken” about similar free speech concerns in the United Kingdom and reiterated the Trump administration’s commitment to promoting First Amendment principles globally.
“The president has spoken about this as well, directly with your prime minister when he was here for a visit to the White House,” Leavitt added.
“So it remains a critical endeavor of ours, to show the Brits, and your country, which we love and admire, about the First Amendment and the importance of free speech in a sovereign nation.”
In February, Vice President Vance addressed the issue during a speech to European leaders, warning that some Western nations appear to be regressing toward “Soviet-era” levels of censorship.
Vance specifically criticized European laws targeting online speech, arguing they conflict with the shared democratic values that have historically united the U.S. and its allies.
Marshall’s public engagement on the issue of censorship follows his own personal experience with cancel culture.
In 2021, he departed from Mumford & Sons after receiving backlash for expressing support for conservative journalist Andy Ngo.
At the time, Marshall had tweeted praise for Ngo’s book, Unmasked, which examines Antifa’s activities and ideology.
The reaction to his tweet led to a public controversy, eventually prompting his resignation from the band he co-founded.
Speaking with Fox News Digital in November 2022, Marshall said he had “no regrets” about his decision to leave the band, explaining that he now feels “liberated” to address difficult topics.
From 2022 to 2023, Marshall hosted the “Marshall Matters” podcast with The Spectator, where he interviewed public figures known for challenging mainstream narratives.
He currently hosts “The Winston Marshall Show,” which features conversations with authors, scientists, musicians, and commentators from around the globe.
The exchange at Monday’s press briefing highlighted the growing concerns among free speech advocates about the increasing restrictions on expression in Western democracies.
Marshall’s question to the White House underscored the possibility of a future in which political asylum for speech-related prosecution may become part of broader transatlantic discourse.
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