US Bars Five Europeans Accused of Pressuring Tech Firms to Censor American Views

The US State Department on Tuesday announced visa restrictions on five Europeans it accused of leading efforts to pressure American technology companies to censor or suppress US viewpoints.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the individuals as “radical” activists linked to “weaponized” nongovernmental organizations, saying they violated a visa policy unveiled in May targeting foreigners deemed responsible for censorship of protected speech in the United States.

“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” Rubio wrote on X. “The Trump administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”

The five individuals were named by Sarah Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy, in social media posts. They include Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg of the German group HateAid; Clare Melford, head of the Global Disinformation Index; and former EU digital commissioner Thierry Breton.

Rubio said the group advanced foreign government censorship campaigns targeting Americans and US companies, creating what he called potentially serious foreign policy consequences.

The move forms part of a broader Trump administration campaign against foreign influence over online speech, relying on immigration law rather than platform regulation or sanctions.

Rogers described Breton as the “mastermind” behind the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which imposes strict rules on online platforms to address illegal and harmful content, including hate speech. She cited Breton’s warning to Elon Musk over a livestream interview with Donald Trump during the 2024 US presidential campaign.

Breton responded on X, noting the Digital Services Act was approved unanimously by all 27 EU member states. “To our American friends: ‘Censorship isn’t where you think it is,’” he wrote.

France condemned the visa restrictions, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot saying the Digital Services Act has no extraterritorial reach and “in no way concerns the United States.”

While most Europeans can travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, they must still receive clearance through a Department of Homeland Security system. A US official said it is possible some of the five individuals have been flagged under that process.

The announcement follows other visa restrictions introduced this year, including measures targeting visitors from parts of Africa and the Middle East, as well as the Palestinian Authority.