'Veep' Creator Calls Out Hollywood For Fear Of Donald Trump

More creatives are feeling the heat of Donald Trump's perceived clampdown on free speech in America, including Armando Iannucci.

The writer and producer, who has built a brand around satirical content over the years, voiced concerns about the financial loophole he is facing regarding his latest project about the current president.

Armando Iannucci has now joined other Hollywood personalities, such as Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, who have felt the heat of Donald Trump's administration and its somewhat tyrannical policies on free speech.

The writer revealed that funding for his latest project, which will spotlight Trump's past speeches, has become utterly difficult to secure. Iannucci explained this at the Creative UK event, noting that he had been warned about the possibility of never securing the necessary finances to achieve the project in America.

"I got a lot of, 'Yeah, you wouldn't get the money for that at the moment, I'm afraid.' So I said, 'Why not?' [They replied] 'Well, you know, if you want what comes with it…'" Iannucci detailed the words of the US buyers.

He added that some journalists have also hunted him about a list and the possible consequences should his name ever appear on the document. 

According to Deadline, Iannucci recalled the journalist making claims along the lines of the Inland Revenue Service witch-hunting him alongside numerous legal cases that may span years.

Despite these issues, Iannucci remains steadfast in his resolve to bring the film to life, even if it means securing funding outside America. In the conversation with Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthi, the satirist stated that his fingers remain crossed for a breakthrough in his artistic endeavor.

Iannucci's speech comes after Kimmel earned a week-long suspension from ABC after his speech about Charlie Kirk's assassination, which critics described as insensitive and unprofessional.

The director also touched on the challenges that other filmmakers overseas, including those in the UK, have been facing due to fears of Trump's tariff threats.

He explained that while no one knows how the tariff process works, it has deterred American financiers from lending their money to any creative individual to execute a project.

According to him, this hesitation from financiers has contributed to several movies lying idle and not seeing the light of day.

As shared by The Blast, Iannucci's colleague and talk show host, Kimmel, did not give Trump a soft landing on his first day back at work. The "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" host immediately hit the ground running, inviting De Niro for a segment on his show where he roasted FCC chairperson Brendan Carr and Trump.

The duo, who share a strong dislike for Trump, went back and forth as characters, providing context for how Kimmel's suspension occurred and, most importantly, the state of free speech in America.

De Niro mimicked the FCC chairperson, stating that free speech is barely free in America these days, and those who exercise this right may end up paying a dear price for it. The actor and Kimmel condemned Trump's delivery of criticisms and made fun of his speech about Tylenol inducing autism in pregnancy.

In De Niro (the fictional Carr's words), "Look, I gotta go. A couple of cases of Tylenol fell off a truck, and now I got to figure out how to put autism in them."

Since Kimmel's return to television, Trump has gone on a rant and informed ABC about his intention to sue the show. The politician boasted that he sued the show once, and he would not hesitate to demand a much higher sum than $16 million from them.

The former vice president was not left behind in condemning the suspension of Kimmel, and described it as a violation of the freedom America prides itself on.

The Blast stated that Harris described Trump’s action as an abuse of power and a tactic to silence whoever dared to hold Trump and his administration accountable.

The former presidential candidate added that the media houses in America are now giving in to Trump’s threats out of fear- a phenomenon that should not happen. She encouraged American citizens to fight and speak up for their God-given rights and not normalize an environment of fear in the land of the free.

Harris insisted that Americans deserved better than being silenced by fear. The former attorney general also condemned the murder of Kirk when it happened, noting that political violence and gun violence have no place in the country, as she sent condolences to his family.

The president received another rebuke from U.S. District Judge William Young, who issued a ruling in favor of international students, ensuring they enjoy the same protection for free speech under the First Amendment.

The lawsuit, submitted by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association, accused Trump of violating provisions of the First Amendment.

NBC News reported that the lawsuit claimed that the president formulated an ideological deportation policy to extract non-citizen campus activists for expressing their support for Palestine.

He emphasized that the president has worked with his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, to attempt to suppress the freedom of speech and rights of citizens to assemble.

Young revealed that, like many young people, he has also experienced pushback from supporters of the government over his stance on Trump’s actions.

However, the attorney noted that his sense of duty and loyalty to the country will ensure that the constitution remains respected and human rights remain protected. The judge said that Trump has shown brazen stubbornness in the face of every element of government literally directing his steps.

“The Constitution, our civil laws, regulations, mores, customs, practices, courtesies — all of it; the President simply ignores it all when he takes it into his head to act,” Young declared.