EU Might Respond to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Official States
The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unwarranted” travel bans issued by the US on five Europeans working on combating online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’
European leaders including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on figures who have been central to campaigns to introduce legislation governing American tech companies.
“For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to pressure US companies to punish US perspectives they disagree with,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “This government will not stand for these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Broad Criticism Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in condemning the move.
The restrictions were enacted on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with several activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities argue the rules are necessary to combat hate speech and disinformation.
This row risks becoming a facet of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and European institutions.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A federal judge has halted attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to local governments that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the case was “another example” of tying 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, coinciding with an active border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with US authorities.
Additionally, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Analysts point out that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
