🔗 Share this article EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Official Says The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the United States on five European individuals working on fighting online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said. European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’ European leaders including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans targeted figures that were at the heart of campaigns to enact laws governing US-based technology firms. “For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” 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 Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning the decision. The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as several anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK. An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, whereas European leaders argue the rules are essential to combat hate speech and disinformation. This disagreement threatens to become part of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and Europe. Additional Updates in the News In related legal news: A federal judge has blocked attempts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official stated the case was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to adherence to directives. Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation. The nation of Palau will consent to take in dozens of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following signing a formal agreement with US authorities. Additionally, a congressional representative has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in the capital. Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.
The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the United States on five European individuals working on fighting online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said. European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’ European leaders including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans targeted figures that were at the heart of campaigns to enact laws governing US-based technology firms. “For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” 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 Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning the decision. The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as several anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK. An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, whereas European leaders argue the rules are essential to combat hate speech and disinformation. This disagreement threatens to become part of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and Europe. Additional Updates in the News In related legal news: A federal judge has blocked attempts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official stated the case was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to adherence to directives. Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation. The nation of Palau will consent to take in dozens of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following signing a formal agreement with US authorities. Additionally, a congressional representative has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in the capital. Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, drawing comparisons with historical international actions.