EU, France condemn U.S. visa ban targeting former EU commissioner, activists

World French former business executive Thierry Breton, who served as the European commissioner for the internal market from 2019-2024, is among five European individuals who have been barred from the U.S. and accused of 'fomenting censorship of American speech'(Christophe Petit Tesson/Reuters) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during his end-of-year news conference at the State Department in Washington on Friday. Rubio said Tuesday that the individuals targeted with visa bans 'have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize and suppress American viewpoints they oppose.'(Kevin Mohatt/Reuters) EU, France condemn U.S. visa ban targeting former EU commissioner, activists U.S. secretary of state says 5 individuals accused of 'fomenting censorship of American speech' The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed visa bans on a former European Union commissioner and anti-disinformation campaigners it says were involved in censoring U.S. social media platforms, the latest move in a campaign aimed at European rules that U.S. officials say go beyond legitimate regulation. Trump officials have ordered U.S. diplomats to build opposition to the European Union's landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), which is intended to combat hateful speech, misinformation and disinformation, but which Washington says stifles free speech and imposes costs on U.S. tech companies. The visa bans come after the administration's National Security Strategy this month said European leaders were censoring free speech and suppressing opposition to immigration policies that it said risk "civilizational erasure" for the continent. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the five people targeted with visa bans "have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize and suppress American viewpoints they oppose." "These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states - in each case targeting American speakers and American companies," Rubio said in an announcement. Rubio did not name those targeted, but Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers identified them on X, accusing the individuals of "fomenting censorship of American speech." The most high-profile target was French former business executive Thierry Breton, who served as the European commissioner for the internal market from 2019-2024. Rogers called Breton "a mastermind" of the DSA and said he once threatened President Donald Trump's ally, X owner Elon Musk, ahead of an interview Musk conducted with Trump. Reuters was unable to immediately reach Breton for comment. Reuters reported in August that U.S. officials were considering sanctions on officials responsible for the DSA. French president slams decision French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday slammed the decision to bar the individuals. "France condemns the visa restriction measures taken by the United States against Thierry Breton and four other European figures. These measures amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty," Macron said on social media platform X. "Together with the European Commission and our European partners, we will continue to defend our digital sovereignty and our regulatory autonomy," he added. The European Commission similarly condemned the move, a Commission spokesperson said on Wednesday, adding that the EU had requested clarifications from the U.S. authorities....

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