The United States has barred five individuals, including former European Union commissioner Thierry Breton, from entering the country, accusing them of attempting to pressure American social media companies into censoring content.
In a statement, the US State Department said the individuals sought to coerce US-based platforms into suppressing viewpoints they oppose. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the group as part of a “global censorship-industrial complex” targeting American speakers and companies.
Breton, who formerly served as the EU’s top technology regulator, was specifically highlighted for his role in shaping the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates social media platforms to moderate content. Critics, particularly in the US, argue that the legislation suppresses right-leaning viewpoints, a claim Brussels has denied.
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In response to the visa denial, Breton tweeted that a “witch hunt” was underway, asserting that American friends should understand that censorship is not occurring in the way officials claim.
Breton has previously clashed with Elon Musk, owner of X, over the platform’s compliance with EU regulations. The European Commission recently fined X €120 million under the DSA over concerns that its blue tick verification system was misleading.
Also affected by the US restrictions was Clare Melford, head of the UK-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI).
US Undersecretary of State Sarah B Rogers accused the organization of using taxpayer funds to push censorship and blacklist American media outlets. GDI called the visa bans an “authoritarian attack on free speech” and described the decision as unlawful and un-American.
German digital rights group HateAid also saw its CEOs, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, barred from entering the US. Both condemned the move, calling it a repressive attempt to silence critics under the guise of protecting free speech.
Rubio said the visa restrictions align with President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy, emphasising that efforts by foreign entities to regulate or influence speech in the United States will not be tolerated.
