European leaders, institutions, and officials have vehemently criticized the United States' decision to impose visa restrictions on five European figures, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, denouncing the measures as an act of intimidation and an infringement on Europe's sovereign right to regulate its digital space. The bans, announced on December 23, 2025, by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, target individuals accused of coercing American tech platforms to censor or suppress "American viewpoints."
The most prominent target is Breton, a French national who served as European Commissioner for the Internal Market from 2019 to 2024 and was a key architect of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA, a landmark EU regulation enacted in 2022 and fully enforced in recent years, requires large online platforms to combat illegal content, hate speech, disinformation, and harmful material, with fines up to 6% of global turnover for non-compliance. US officials, including Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers, described Breton as the "mastermind" behind the law, alleging it imposes extraterritorial censorship on US companies and speakers.
Rubio stated that the individuals had led "organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose," framing the bans as a defense against a "global censorship-industrial complex." The other sanctioned individuals are: Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (UK/US-based); Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of the German NGO HateAid; and Clare Melford, head of the Global Disinformation Index.
French President Emmanuel Macron led the backlash, calling the restrictions "intimidation and coercion" designed to undermine Europe's digital sovereignty. He emphasized that EU digital rules were adopted through a "democratic and sovereign process" by the European Parliament and Council, applying only within Europe. "The rules governing the European Union’s digital space are not meant to be determined outside Europe," Macron asserted. In a post on X, he revealed speaking directly with Breton: "I have just spoken with Thierry Breton and thanked him for his significant contributions in the service of Europe. We will stand firm against pressure and will protect Europeans."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed this, stating France "strongly condemns" the bans and affirming the DSA's democratic adoption with "absolutely no extraterritorial reach." He added: "The peoples of Europe are free and sovereign and cannot let the rules governing their digital space be imposed by others upon them."
The European Commission issued a strong condemnation, describing freedom of expression as a "fundamental European right and a shared core value with the United States." A spokesperson noted the EU's sovereign authority to regulate its open, rules-based single market and warned of a "swift and decisive" response if necessary to defend regulatory autonomy. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X: "Freedom of speech is the foundation of our strong and vibrant European democracy. We are proud of it. We will protect it."
In Germany, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized the bans affecting HateAid's executives, reiterating that the DSA ensures "everything that is illegal offline is also illegal online" and was democratically adopted without extraterritorial effects. HateAid leaders Ballon and von Hodenberg called the measures "an act of repression." German Parliament Vice President Omid Nouripour demanded the immediate summoning of the US Embassy's chargé d'affaires.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola deemed the travel bans on officials for performing their duties "unacceptable" and called for them to be "rescinded quickly." Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot expressed dismay, rejecting sanctions based on "economic frustration" in the US and affirming Europe's right to protect its values. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas labeled the decision "unacceptable and an attempt to challenge our sovereignty," pledging continued defense of fair digital rules and freedom of expression.
Breton himself responded on X, questioning: "Is McCarthy’s witch hunt back?" He reminded that the DSA was approved by over 90% of the European Parliament and unanimously by all 27 member states, telling US critics: "Censorship isn’t where you think it is."
The bans stem from a broader Trump administration policy announced earlier in 2025 to restrict visas for foreigners deemed responsible for censoring protected US speech. They follow tensions over EU enforcement actions, including a recent €120 million fine on Elon Musk's X platform for DSA breaches, and past clashes between Breton and Musk. The move escalates transatlantic disputes on digital governance, with the US viewing the DSA as stifling free speech and targeting American tech giants, while Europe defends it as essential for user protection and democratic values.
As reactions poured in on December 24, 2025, the incident highlights deepening divides, potentially complicating US-EU relations on trade, technology, and security amid ongoing negotiations.
