Jane Fonda Renews Activism With Fiery Calls For Change

Jane Fonda’s name has long been synonymous with activism, her public life a tapestry woven from Hollywood stardom and a fierce commitment to social change. Over more than five decades, Fonda has used her platform to challenge government policies, advocate for marginalized communities, and, more recently, to denounce what she sees as a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism in the United States. Her journey—from the Vietnam War protests of the 1970s to her outspoken criticism of modern immigration enforcement—offers a unique window into the evolution of American dissent and the enduring power of celebrity activism.

Fonda’s activism first caught the nation’s attention in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when she emerged as one of the most visible celebrity opponents of the Vietnam War. According to USA TODAY, she took her convictions all the way to North Vietnam in July 1972, spending two weeks documenting the impact of U.S. bombing campaigns and broadcasting anti-war messages on North Vietnamese radio. It was during this trip that a photograph of Fonda seated on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun was taken—a moment that would haunt her for decades. Branded “Hanoi Jane,” she became a lightning rod for criticism, with detractors accusing her of betraying American troops. Fonda would later express regret for the photo, describing her actions as “thoughtless and careless” and clarifying that her opposition was to government policy, not to soldiers themselves (el-balad.com).

But the Vietnam era was just the beginning. As reported by el-balad.com and USA TODAY, Fonda’s activism in the 1970s extended to supporting Native American rights, notably during the Occupation of Alcatraz, and co-founding the Indochina Peace Campaign to promote the end of U.S. military interventions in Southeast Asia. Her advocacy was never static, always evolving with the times and the needs she perceived in society.

By the 1980s and 1990s, Fonda had shifted her focus to women’s rights. In 1984, she co-founded the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee (HWPC), joining forces with Barbra Streisand and other influential women from the entertainment world. The HWPC quickly became a political powerhouse, helping to swing the U.S. Senate to Democratic control in 1986 and playing a pivotal role in the 1992 “Year of the Woman,” when a record number of women were elected to Congress (el-balad.com). Not content to rest on these laurels, Fonda joined feminist leaders in 2005 to establish the Women’s Media Center, an organization dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and addressing gender disparities in media representation and employment.

Fonda’s activism has always been marked by a willingness to put herself on the line—sometimes quite literally. In 2019, she launched Fire Drill Fridays, a series of climate change demonstrations in Washington, D.C., aimed at pressuring lawmakers to adopt bold environmental policies like the Green New Deal. The first rally took place on October 11, 2019, and Fonda was arrested multiple times for civil disobedience. She used these moments not only to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis but also to draw attention to Indigenous land rights and rainforest protection. As she told USA TODAY, the protests were about more than individual lifestyle changes—they were about building a collective political force for change.

Fonda’s commitment to activism has remained undimmed in recent years, even as she approaches her ninth decade. At the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards in February 2025, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Instead of basking in the glow of her Hollywood legacy, Fonda used her acceptance speech as a rallying cry for political engagement. “Empathy is not weak or woke,” she declared, calling on her peers to meet the moment with courage and compassion. She warned of rising authoritarianism in the United States and urged the entertainment industry to wield its influence in the fight for justice (el-balad.com).

Her warnings about authoritarianism were not just rhetorical flourishes. On January 21, 2026, Fonda appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she delivered a blistering critique of the current U.S. political climate. According to USA TODAY, Fonda condemned recent federal immigration enforcement raids in Minneapolis, which followed the January 7, 2026, shooting death of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. The incident, which sparked protests and clashes between federal agents and demonstrators, became a flashpoint for Fonda’s criticism.

“All kinds of really, really bad things are happening,” Fonda told Colbert. “And it’s not a question of right or left. I don’t care what party you belong to. It’s a question of right or wrong.” She accused federal agents of “shooting people,” “blinding people,” “kidnapping people,” and “illegally deporting American citizens.” Fonda’s comments were grounded in recent data: ICE deported roughly 329,000 people in fiscal year 2025, a 21% increase over the last full year of the Biden administration, as reported by Syracuse University researcher Austin Kocher (USA TODAY).

Fonda’s critique went beyond specific incidents to encompass a broader concern about the direction of American democracy. “If the government is not meeting the needs of its people, there’s something wrong, right?” she asked. “We’re seeing things happen that have never happened before. This isn’t like it was in the ’40s and ’50s. Authoritarianism has made its way into every single nook and cranny of our government.”

Yet, Fonda’s message was not one of despair. She called on viewers to “build community” and “work with other people in solidarity,” emphasizing that defending freedom requires collective action. “I think lines are being crossed, and it’s enough. We’ve had enough,” she said. “We are the land of the brave. Our loved ones fought and many died for these freedoms. We can’t allow them to be taken away from us because if we let them go, they won’t be there later when we need them back.”

In 2026, Fonda further reignited the legacy of her family’s activism by relaunching the Committee for the First Amendment, a group originally established by her father, Henry Fonda. Alongside fellow artists, she issued a letter criticizing government efforts to silence dissent, underscoring her belief that free speech and civil rights must be defended at all costs (el-balad.com).

Jane Fonda’s activism has never been about fleeting trends or easy causes. From the jungles of Vietnam to the halls of Congress, from climate protests to late-night television, she has challenged Americans to confront uncomfortable truths and to act with empathy and courage. Her story serves as a reminder that the fight for justice is never finished—and that, sometimes, the loudest voice for change comes from someone who refuses to be silent, no matter the cost.