Corporate America's week of political retreats

By Maria Aspan

Published September 19, 2025 at 4:33 PM EDT

Companies have been firing employees and cracking down on reactions to Charlie Kirk's assassination, in what business and legal experts call a "pretty bad" time for free speech.

Maria Aspan

Maria Aspan is the financial correspondent for NPR. She reports on the world of finance broadly, and how it affects all of our lives.

Support nonprofit, fact-based public service journalism

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.

Contribute now

Related Content

Ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced his retirement at the end of the season

Gabriel J. Sánchez

The legendary pitcher will be stepping onto the mound Friday night, but it will be bittersweet for Dodgers fans. After almost two decades, he announced he'll be retiring after this season.
Sarah McLachlan has a new album for the first time in over a decade

Noah Caldwell

Singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan has released a new album for the first time in over a decade. It arrives alongside a new documentary about the Lilith Fair music festival she founded.
Where could the U.S. government restrict free speech?

Ailsa Chang

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with University of Pennsylvania law professor Amanda Shanor about free speech protections in the wake of the killing of Charlie Kirk.
A congressman called Charlie Kirk Jesus's '13th disciple.' Other Christians disagree

Jack Jenkins

Charlie Kirk's evangelical followers frame him as a martyr for free speech. But they are facing fierce counter-arguments from other Christians, particularly African-Americans.
NPR News

Ted Cruz claims without evidence that China is funding U.S. climate lawsuits

Michael Copley

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has said China is funding climate lawsuits against American oil and gas companies to weaken the U.S. He hasn't provided evidence to support the claim.