First Amendment doesn't protect Albanese's overseas speech, Trump admin says

The Trump administration has asked a federal appeals court to overturn a May 2026 ruling that blocked U.S. sanctions against Francesca Albanese, a United Nations special rapporteur. The U.S. Department of Justice argued in a 65-page brief that Albanese, an Italian citizen living abroad, is not protected by the First Amendment for speech made outside the U.S. and that the lower court erred in finding otherwise. The sanctions were imposed in July 2025 by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio under an executive order targeting foreign nationals who assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigations or prosecutions of Americans or citizens of allied countries not under the court's jurisdiction. Albanese's husband and U.S.-citizen daughter challenged the designation. Hillel Neuer, executive director of United Nations Watch, stated, "The First Amendment does not give a foreign UN official living abroad a constitutional right to use her mandate to advance ICC prosecutions against Americans and Israelis."