The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” travel bans imposed by the US against five Europeans working on fighting digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’
European leaders such as Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been at the heart of efforts to enact legislation governing American tech companies.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to punish US perspectives they disagree with,” wrote a senior US official online. “This government will no longer tolerate such actions of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported France in criticizing the move.
The bans were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as several anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while European leaders contend the rules are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become part of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In related judicial developments:
- A federal judge has halted efforts to cut security grants to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of linking federal aid to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in return for additional aid, following signing a formal agreement with Washington.
Additionally, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
