Republicans oppose US anti-boycott bill over free speech concerns

A bipartisan bill in the US Congress aimed at penalising participation in international boycotts against countries friendly to the United States—particularly Israel—is facing pushback from key allies of former President Donald Trump, raising doubts about its future in the House of Representatives.

The proposed International Governmental Organization (IGO) Anti-Boycott Act, introduced in January by Republican Representative Mike Lawler and Democrat Josh Gottheimer, seeks to expand a 2018 law. That law criminalises participation in foreign-government-led boycotts and imposes penalties of up to $1 million in fines and 20 years in prison. The new proposal would broaden its reach to include boycotts instigated by international governmental organisations, such as those imposed by the United Nations.

While the bill does not explicitly name Israel, lawmakers backing the legislation have said it is aimed at targeting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which urges economic pressure on Israel over its policies towards Palestinians and its settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.

Despite longstanding Republican support for anti-BDS measures, a wave of opposition has emerged from within Trump’s conservative base. Firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene announced on Monday that a scheduled House vote on the bill had been cancelled. She criticised the legislation as prioritising foreign interests over Americans' constitutional rights.

“It is my job to defend Americans' rights to buy or boycott whomever they choose without government punishment,” Greene wrote on social media.

“Why are we voting on a bill for other countries instead of executive orders that support our own?”

Prominent right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk echoed Greene’s concerns, saying, “In America, you are allowed to disagree and protest. Free speech is a birthright.”

Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, endorsed both statements online, signalling a broader ideological split within the right-wing movement over the bill’s implications for civil liberties.

Opponents, including rights groups and several members of Congress, argue the legislation could infringe upon the First Amendment by penalising peaceful protest and dissent.

Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of Florida also voiced opposition to the bill, saying:

“I reject antisemitism but I cannot violate the First Amendment. Americans have the right to boycott.”

Legal experts note that similar anti-BDS laws have faced constitutional challenges in multiple states, with mixed outcomes in court.

The backlash comes amid a broader effort by Trump-era officials to suppress criticism of Israel, particularly on US college campuses. The former president’s administration has revoked student visas and threatened to withhold federal funds from universities over pro-Palestinian protests.

One such case involves Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student detained since March for co-authoring an op-ed supporting her university’s call to divest from companies linked to Israel.

Trump has also targeted institutions like Harvard, accusing them of fostering anti-Israel sentiment and threatening funding cuts in response to growing student activism.

While the IGO Anti-Boycott Act continues to receive bipartisan sponsorship in Congress, the emerging rift among Republicans—particularly from Trump’s base—has introduced significant hurdles to its passage. As the debate over the balance between support for Israel and the protection of free speech intensifies, the bill's future remains uncertain.