European Union Could Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Travel Restrictions, Official Says

The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” travel bans issued by the US against five Europeans involved in fighting digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official stated.

EU Officials Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’

European leaders such as Emmanuel Macron charged the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were at the heart of campaigns to introduce laws governing US-based technology firms.

“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to coerce US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “This government will not stand for these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”

Broad Criticism From EU Nations

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in condemning the move.

The bans were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s digital governance law, as well as four activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.

An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation

The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to combat hate speech and falsehoods.

This row risks becoming a facet of a much broader existing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and European institutions.

Other Developments Reported Today

In other legal news:

• A US district judge has blocked attempts to cut security grants to states which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official stated the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to adherence to directives.
• Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the new year, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
• A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in return for additional aid, after signing a formal agreement with Washington.

Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in the capital.

Analysts point out that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.