EU Could Respond to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Spokesperson Says

The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US on five Europeans working on combating digital hatred and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.

European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’

Officials from Europe such as the French president charged Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans were placed on individuals that were central to campaigns to introduce laws governing US-based technology firms.

“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to coerce US companies to suppress American viewpoints they disagree with,” stated the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”

Broad Criticism Across Europe

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in condemning the decision.

The restrictions were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, along with several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.

An Escalating Conflict Regarding Governance

This European legislation is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to combat inflammatory language and falsehoods.

This disagreement risks becoming part of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict between Washington and European institutions.

Other Developments Reported Today

In other legal developments:

• A federal judge has blocked efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments that do not comply with specific federal immigration rules. The judge stated the action was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
• Authorization was issued for the deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, alongside an active border security initiative.
• The nation of Palau has agreed to accept a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with Washington.

Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent performing arts center in Washington DC.

Analysts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy actions.