Jane Fonda’s Activism: From Vietnam Protests to Trump-Era Resistance

Jane Fonda’s legacy as an activist stretches over five decades, shaping her public life as much as her Hollywood career. She first emerged as a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War in the early 1970s, joining protests and organizing with veterans. And she embarked on controversial anti‑war speaking tours that drew national attention and controversy. Today, her activism encompasses defending free speech through the relaunched Committee for the First Amendment. And in January 2026, she spoke out against President Donald Trump. Here’s what to know about Fonda’s past activism, ranging from Vietnam to Trump.

Jane Fonda heavily opposed the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s

Jane Fonda made her stance known during the Vietnam War. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she became one of the war’s most visible celebrity opponents. She used her platform to challenge U.S. military policy and draw attention to what she saw as unjust conduct by American forces.

Fonda’s activism culminated in a controversial trip to North Vietnam in July 1972. At the time, the United States engaged in heavy bombing campaigns against the North Vietnamese. During her two‑week visit to Hanoi, she photographed and toured bomb damage and broadcast multiple anti‑war messages over North Vietnamese radio, urging U.S. pilots to reconsider their role in the conflict. Fonda also traveled to schools, hospitals, and villages to witness the human cost of the war.

In a controversial moment, a widely circulated photograph showed Fonda sitting on the seat of a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun, which earned her the nickname “Hanoi Jane.” The Oscar-winning actress has since expressed regret for that specific moment. However, she maintained that her opposition was directed at the political leadership and war policy rather than at the troops themselves.

Unfortunately, the moment received intense backlash. Some of her fans accused her of being disloyal, and some Vietnam veterans resented the move. In 1988, she publicly apologized for the photo. In an interview with Barbara Walters, she called her behavior “thoughtless and careless,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Also in the ’70s, Fonda visited young Native American activists during the Occupation of Alcatraz. And she co-founded the Indochina Peace Campaign to push for the end of U.S. military action in Vietnam.

The actress pushed for women’s rights in the 1980s-1990s

In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Jane Fonda extended her activism beyond anti‑war work to become a prominent supporter of women’s political empowerment and rights. In 1984, she co‑founded the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee (HWPC), according to SAG-AFTRA. Barbra Streisand and about a dozen other women from the entertainment industry joined her. Fonda helped bring resources and visibility to the group, which aimed to mobilize political support for progressive candidates and issues.

The HWPC has been credited with helping shift the U.S. Senate to Democratic control in 1986 and supporting the election of a record number of women legislators in 1992. This milestone is often called the “Year of the Woman.”

Jane Fonda co-founded the Women’s Media Center in 2005

In 2005, Jane Fonda joined with fellow feminist leaders Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan to co‑found the Women’s Media Center (WMC). This nonprofit organization is dedicated to transforming the media landscape so that women’s voices are represented across all platforms.

The WMC was created in response to persistent inequalities in media coverage and employment. Women, especially women of color, were significantly underrepresented among newsmakers and experts.

The workout video queen was arrested for civil disobedience over climate change in 2019

In 2019, Jane Fonda moved to Washington, D.C. and launched Fire Drill Fridays. This weekly series of demonstrations on Capitol Hill was designed to pressure U.S. lawmakers to enact bold climate policies, like a Green New Deal, and to phase out fossil fuels. The first rally, held on Oct. 11, 2019, featured speakers, climate experts, and activists. And this culminated in Fonda’s arrest for civil disobedience — a tactic she continued repeatedly in subsequent weeks to spotlight the emergency of global warming, according to TIME.

The Fire Drill Fridays protests grew in both size and diversity as the campaign continued. These actions were framed as part of a broader strategy to move beyond individual lifestyle changes and toward collective political engagement. Fonda has since expanded her environmental advocacy into other arenas. She heavily supports Indigenous land rights and rainforest protection campaigns.

Jane Fonda made a call to action at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards

At the 31st Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in February 2025, Jane Fonda used her acceptance of the Lifetime Achievement Award as an explicit call to political engagement and resistance. While honoring her fellow actors and the SAG‑AFTRA union, Fonda urged her peers to embrace empathy as a form of strength. She declared, “Empathy is not weak or woke,” according to TIME. She also warned that many people are at risk of harm from the political and social forces shaping the country.

Later in 2025, Fonda revived the Committee for the First Amendment. Her father previously helped establish the historic advocacy group. Fonda and other artists, like Spike Lee, Natalie Portman, Billie Eilish, and Barbra Streisand, issued an open letter warning that “the federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics …,” according to NPR.

The actress is once again in the spotlight in 2026 for speaking out against Donald Trump

Jane Fonda spoke against authoritarianism while on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in January 2026.

“We pay their salaries,” Fonda told Colbert. “We should be in charge. If the government is not meeting the needs of its people, there’s something wrong, right? 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,” she continued. “They are kidnapping people. They are illegally deporting American citizens.”

Fonda went on to describe how the government is “shooting” and “blinding” its citizens. “… And I think lines are being crossed, and it’s enough. We’ve had enough. We are the land of the brave.”