Booksellers are sounding the alarm over Trump’s anti-antifascist presidential memo.
A group of concerned booksellers recently sent an open letter to the American Booksellers Association and the American Booksellers for Free Expression raising an “urgent concern” about the Trump administration’s NSPM-7 anti-antifascist memorandum. The presidential security memo issued last year.
In 2023, the Trump administration issued a presidential security memo titled National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7), which critics describe as targeting antifascist groups. The term antifascist refers to individuals or movements opposing fascism, a far-right political ideology characterized by authoritarianism, nationalism, and suppression of dissent. The memo has raised concerns among booksellers who view it as a potential threat to free expression and intellectual freedom. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) and the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE) are two organizations that support independent bookstores and advocate for the right to sell and discuss diverse ideas without government interference.
A group of booksellers recently sent an open letter to the ABA and ABFE expressing an urgent concern about NSPM-7. In the letter, they argue that the memo could be used to suppress books, authors, or ideas associated with antifascist movements. The ABA is a trade association representing independent bookstores across the United States, while the ABFE is a division of the ABA focused on defending free speech in the book industry. The booksellers’ letter highlights the potential for government overreach in monitoring or restricting content, which they believe could stifle intellectual discourse and harm the book-selling community.
The booksellers’ concern centers on the possibility that NSPM-7 could lead to increased scrutiny or censorship of books and authors linked to antifascist themes. This could include works by historians, activists, or scholars who discuss fascism, racism, or social justice. The ABA and ABFE have historically defended the right to sell controversial or politically sensitive books, such as those by far-right or left-wing authors. The letter suggests that the memo’s vague language may create uncertainty about what content could be targeted, raising fears of self-censorship among booksellers to avoid legal or regulatory risks.
