The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it deems “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the United States on five Europeans working on combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on figures that were at the heart of campaigns to introduce laws governing American tech companies.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce US companies to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in condemning the move.
The bans were enacted on Tuesday against an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as four activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to control hate speech and falsehoods.
This disagreement risks becoming part of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates in the News
In other legal developments:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to reduce security grants to local governments that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, alongside an ongoing border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau will consent to take in dozens of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following signing a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Furthermore, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent cultural institution in the capital.
Analysts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.
