Overview
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions on Breton, Imran Ahmed, Clare Melford, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, accusing them of coercing U.S. platforms to suppress American viewpoints.
- Under Secretary Sarah Rogers publicly identified the five and labeled Breton a DSA “mastermind,” tying the action to EU content rules that have recently been enforced against X.
- The State Department acted under a May policy allowing visa denials for foreign nationals deemed to censor Americans, with DHS able to consider removal proceedings for those already in the U.S.
- The European Commission, France and Germany condemned the bans, sought clarifications, and vowed to defend EU regulatory autonomy, while the targeted NGOs called the move authoritarian censorship.
- Washington signaled it may expand the list if others do not reverse course, as the administration broadens opposition to European and U.K. platform-regulation laws.