The EU might “act quickly and firmly” against what it deems “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the United States against five Europeans working on fighting online hate and disinformation, an EU official stated.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were at the heart of efforts to enact laws governing US-based technology firms.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to coerce US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in condemning the decision.
The restrictions were enacted this week on a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s digital governance law, along with several activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while EU authorities argue the regulations are essential to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become a facet of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In related judicial developments:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to cut federal homeland security funding to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The official ruled the action was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau has agreed to take in a limited number of migrants from the US in return for increased assistance, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
