US Slaps Visa Ban on Five European Activists
Washington stunned Europe on Tuesday by banning visas for five top Europeans fighting online hate and disinformation. The Trump administration accuses the group of censoring free speech and unfairly shackling American tech giants with heavy-handed regulation.
This latest move has shattered any remaining goodwill between the US and its long-time allies, deepening the already strained relations over defence, immigration, tech rules, and core political values.
Europe Hits Back: “Unjustified and Unprecedented”
France, Germany, and Brussels wasted no time condemning the bans as a hostile attack on allies. The EU lashed out, demanding answers and warning of a swift, decisive response if the measures aren’t reversed.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a core value shared with the US,” a European Commission spokesperson said.
French President Emmanuel Macron also stepped in, publicly backing former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who’s at the heart of Europe’s crackdown on Big Tech. Macron promised on X (formerly Twitter), “We will not give up. We will protect Europe’s independence and freedom.”
Thierry Breton: The Man Trump Took Aim At
Breton, who headed the EU’s internal market from 2019 to 2024, crafted the landmark Digital Services Act—forcing tech giants to combat illegal content such as hate speech and child abuse. Trump’s team claims the law unfairly targets US companies and muzzles free speech.
Breton clashed publicly with Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, who called him “the tyrant of Europe.” After the ban, Breton fired back on X, “Is McCarthy’s witch hunt back?”
Others Banned and Backlash Grows
- Imran Ahmed, British head of the US-based Center for Countering Digital Hate
- Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon from German non-profit HateAid
- Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index
Germany’s justice ministry slammed the ban as “unacceptable” and stood firmly behind the activists. “Anyone calling this censorship misrepresents our constitutional system,” it said. The UK also voiced support, saying it backs efforts to curb harmful online content while safeguarding free speech.
Critics Cry “Government Censorship”
A spokesperson for the Global Disinformation Index blasted the Trump administration for “using the full weight of government to intimidate, censor, and silence voices they disagree with.” They condemned the bans as “immoral, unlawful and un-American.”
Notably, Breton is the latest French citizen targeted by Trump’s sanctions, joining French judge Nicolas Yann Guillou, sanctioned in August over the International Criminal Court’s investigations involving Israeli and US officials.
Transatlantic Ties Under Threat
The visa bans come amid growing US distrust of Europe, which Trump’s team paints as a weakened bloc riddled with bureaucratic overreach and ‘censorship’ of nationalist groups. A recent US National Security Strategy warned Europe faces “civilisational erasure” if it doesn’t toughen up and renew ties.
Vice President JD Vance’s explosive Munich speech earlier this year shook Europe, forcing leaders to rethink dependence on America for military and tech support.
As Brussels, Paris, and Berlin fight back, it’s clear this transatlantic cold war over digital power and free speech is heating up fast.
