The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US on five Europeans involved in fighting online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’
European leaders including the French president accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the travel bans were placed on figures that were central to campaigns to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure US companies to punish US perspectives they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for 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 imposed this week against a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with 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 type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This disagreement threatens to become a facet of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and European institutions.
Other Developments in the News
In related judicial news:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to reduce security grants to local governments which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official stated the case was “a further instance” of linking government assistance to adherence to directives.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an active border security initiative.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in return for additional aid, after signing a formal agreement with US authorities.
Additionally, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a broader belief in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, drawing comparisons with historical international strategies.
