Overview
- France’s president denounced the U.S. visa restrictions on Thierry Breton and four other Europeans as intimidation against Europe’s digital sovereignty.
- The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called the move an unacceptable challenge to the bloc’s sovereignty and vowed to defend European values and the right to regulate its own market.
- The United States previously imposed the travel bans on Breton and several others, citing their roles in efforts to impose censorship on Americans.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures target key individuals in a global push to penalize certain viewpoints and accused European ideologues of pressuring American platforms.
- U.S. officials signaled the list could be expanded if others do not change course, raising the prospect of further diplomatic escalation.