Overview

• Francesca Albanese had her X blue check verification removed on August 4, marking the first time a United Nations official has lost the badge.
• UN Watch formally petitioned X CEO Elon Musk to revoke her verification after U.S. sanctions announced July 9 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• The sanctions, issued under President Trump’s Executive Order 14203, target individuals who support International Criminal Court actions against U.S. or Israeli nationals without their governments’ consent.
• The State Department accused Albanese of unabashed antisemitism, backing terrorist causes and showing contempt for the United States, Israel and the West.
• Observers say the case highlights tensions between state sovereignty, international rights monitoring and the politicization of social media credentials.