French President Emmanuel Macron slammed the U.S. government’s visa restrictions on European Union officials involved in what Washington said are attempts to coerce U.S.-based social media platforms to censor viewpoints they oppose.
Mr. Macron said France condemns the actions taken against former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and four others whom the Trump administration labeled as “agents of the global censorship-industrial complex.”
“These measures amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty,” Mr. Macron said Wednesday on social media. “The European Union’s digital regulations were adopted following a democratic and sovereign process by the European Parliament and the Council.”
The U.S. State Department said Mr. Breton and the others were “radical activists” who targeted American speakers and companies to advance censorship crackdowns by foreign powers.
“I have determined that their entry, presence or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday.
The State Department called Mr. Breton a mastermind of the EU’s Digital Services Act, which is intended to combat illegal content, disinformation and harmful practices by social media companies. The department said he published a threatening letter in August 2024 while serving as the European commissioner for Internal Markets and Digital Services to X owner Elon Musk ahead of a livestream interview with President Trump.
“Before the interview, Breton ominously reminded Musk of X’s legal obligations and ongoing ’formal proceedings’ for alleged noncompliance with ’illegal content’ and ’disinformation’ requirements under the DSA,” Undersecretary of State Sarah B. Rogers said on X.
The travel restrictions followed a $140 million fine the EU slapped on X over the use of its blue checkmark for verified users of the platform. The European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, said it deceives users.
“On X, anyone can pay to obtain the ’verified’ status without the company meaningfully verifying who is behind the account, making it difficult for users to judge the authenticity of accounts and content they engage with,” the EU said in a Dec. 4 statement when it imposed the fine.
Mr. Trump has been clear that the administration’s America First foreign policy opposes any violations of American sovereignty, Mr. Rubio said.
“Extraterritorial overreach by foreign censors targeting American speech is no exception,” the secretary said. “The State Department stands ready and willing to expand today’s list if other foreign actors do not reverse course.”
The European Commission also condemned the State Department’s decision to impose travel restrictions on the five European officials, saying freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the U.S.
“The EU is an open, rules-based single market, with the sovereign right to regulate economic activity in line with our democratic values and international commitments,” the commission said Tuesday. “Our digital rules ensure a safe, fair, and level playing field for all companies, applied fairly and without discrimination.”
The European Union is requesting clarification from U.S. officials about the travel restrictions and remains engaged in the diplomatic process, E.U. officials said.
The Trump administration isn’t imposing Magnitsky Act measures, which target corrupt officials and human rights abusers with sanctions, including freezing their U.S. assets.
“These sanctions are visa-related,” Ms. Rogers said. “But our message is clear: If you spend your career fomenting censorship of American speech, you’re unwelcome on American soil.”
