Stephen Miller reaches back to 1972 to accuse Jane Fonda of treason
‘By any definition, what she did in the Vietnam War is treason,’ former Trump adviser tells Fox News
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former Trump adviser Stephen Miller dug up some ancient dirt on Jane Fonda on Wednesday, accusing the actress and activist of committing treason in the 1970s.
“By any definition, what she did in the Vietnam War is treason,” Mr Miller said on Fox News Primetime. “And she’s held up as a hero?”
The accusation came amid a discussion of Fonda’s recent criticism of President Joe Biden, who she says has done “not enough” to protect the environment. This week she joined protests against the proposed Line 3 oil pipeline in northern Minnesota, arguing that it would violate Native American lands.
Mr Miller defended that pipeline, and objected to the protesters’ embrace of the two-time Oscar winner as a spokesperson.
“What kind of movement holds up as a leader, even venerates a person like Jane Fonda?” he asked incredulously. “When she volunteered herself as a tool of North Vietnamese communist propaganda, she did propaganda broadcasts on their radio station in North Vietnam. She sat on their anti-aircraft battery that’s used to shoot down American planes and American airmen.”
Jane Fonda slams Biden as not ‘bold or fast’ enough on climate crisis as she joins oil line protest
Jane Fonda says the only relationship she would consider now would be with ‘a younger man’
The Keystone XL pipeline is dead. Now Biden has a choice to make
‘Fossil fuel era rapidly coming to a close’: Climate activists rejoice as Keystone XL pipeline is axed 
From Anthony Hopkins to Jane Fonda: 2020 proved that older stars are so much better at social media
In 1972, Ms Fonda took a much-publicised tour of North Vietnam, which the United States was still at war with at the time. Over the course of two weeks, she visited villages damaged by American bombs, posed for photos with a Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun, and begged US pilots to stop the bombings via the Voice of Vietnam radio station.
The visit was bitterly controversial at the time – earning her the nickname Hanoi Jane – but Fonda has never been charged with treason. She has also later apologised to American veterans for her actions.
“I was trying to help end the killing and the war, but there were times when I was thoughtless and careless about it and I’m very sorry that I hurt them,” she told Barbara Walters in 1988.
A spokesperson for the actor has not yet responded to The Independent’s request for comment.
On Twitter, Mr Miller’s “treason” remarks drew accusations of hypocrisy.
“Then what’s this?” one user wrote, along with a photo of Trump supporters climbing a wall during the 6 January Capitol riot.
“I don’t see Jane Fonda scaling that wall!” someone else added.
Others noted that the controversy was almost five decades old.
“Yawn,” one user tweeted. “Miller has to dig back half a century to find someone to trash. No dice.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments