American exceptionalism is exemplified in the country’s interpretation of free speech, which remains a core bipartisan belief, regardless of political affiliations. A recent article in The New Yorker, titled “The Detention of Mahmoud Khalil Is a Flagrant Assault on Free Speech,” highlights this perspective. The piece, like many others, portrays Trump as an anomaly in the American political landscape. This viewpoint suggests that the current administration is a departure from the norm, rather than a continuation of existing ideals.