The EU might “respond swiftly and decisively” against what it deems “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US against five European individuals working on combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including the French president accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been central to campaigns to enact legislation regulating American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to pressure US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in condemning the move.
The bans were imposed this week against a former EU commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with four anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
This European legislation is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders argue the rules are essential to combat hate speech and disinformation.
This row risks becoming part of a much broader ongoing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In other legal developments:
- A federal judge has blocked efforts to reduce security grants to local governments that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The official ruled the case was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, alongside an ongoing border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for additional aid, following concluding a formal agreement with Washington.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent performing arts center in the capital.
Experts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, drawing comparisons with historical international strategies.
