Overview
- The State Department announced entry bans and sanctions on five Europeans tied to EU digital regulation and anti-disinformation work, naming Thierry Breton, Imran Ahmed, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, Josephine Ballon and Clare Melford.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group organized pressure on U.S. platforms to censor, demonetize and suppress American viewpoints.
- The European Commission condemned the decision, sought formal explanations and warned it would respond to any unjustified measures to protect regulatory autonomy.
- France denounced the move as an affront to sovereignty, as Breton defended the democratically adopted Digital Services Act and likened the action to McCarthyism.
- The administration has directed U.S. diplomats to oppose the DSA, which requires removal of illegal content and child protections and recently underpinned a €130 million fine on X.