EU Could Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Official Says

The European Union might “respond swiftly and decisively” against what it deems “unjustified” visa 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 ‘Coercion’

European leaders including the French president charged the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, after the travel bans were placed on figures who have been at the heart of campaigns to introduce legislation governing American tech companies.

“For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to coerce American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”

Broad Criticism Across Europe

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in criticizing the move.

The restrictions were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with several anti-disinformation campaigners, including Germany and the United Kingdom.

An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation

The DSA is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to control hate speech and disinformation.

This disagreement threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe.

Additional Updates in the News

In other legal news:

• A US district judge has halted attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to policy compliance.
• Approval was given for the deployment of 350 national guard members to a major US city prior to the holiday period, alongside an active border security initiative.
• A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for additional aid, after concluding a formal agreement with Washington.

Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of a political figure’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.

Analysts point out that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.