U.S. Blocks Visas for Breton and Four European NGO Figures Over Censorship Accusations

Overview

• The State Department denied entry and announced sanctions against five Europeans tied to digital regulation, naming former EU commissioner Thierry Breton alongside four NGO leaders.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group orchestrated pressure on U.S. platforms to censor and demonetize American viewpoints, and warned the list could grow.
• The named NGO figures are Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of HateAid, Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, and Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index.
• The European Commission, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German officials condemned the action and requested clarifications, with European Council President Antonio Costa calling the measures unacceptable between allies.
• The move followed the EU’s recent €120 million fine against X under the Digital Services Act, which U.S. officials had criticized as suppressing free expression.