US bans visa for Breton, ‘he censored Americans and harmed big tech’
Washington/Brussels (ANSA) – The United States has announced sanctions against five European figures engaged in advocating for stricter regulation of the tech sector, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who has been banned from entering the country.
“The State Department has taken decisive action against five individuals who have led organized initiatives to force U.S. platforms to censor, demonetize and suppress American opinions they dislike,” reads the statement from the Agency headed by Marco Rubio, in which the targeted individuals are described as “radical activists who have promoted the repression of freedom of expression.”
“For too long,” commented the U.S. Secretary of State on X, “European ideologues have carried out coordinated efforts to force U.S. platforms to sanction the opinions of its citizens with which they disagree.” “The Trump administration will no longer tolerate these blatant acts of extraterritorial censorship,” he added.
In the past Breton, who served as commissioner from 2019 to 2024, has often clashed with tech magnates such as Elon Musk over compliance with EU regulations. Above all, the Digital Services Act, the European law that imposes content moderation and data protection standards on major social media platforms, of which the former European Commissioner is considered the mastermind.
The unprecedented decision has enraged Brussels, Paris and Berlin, prompting Breton himself to speak of “a Europe under attack,” exposed to the “imperialist temptations” of a power determined to erode the common project. After the flurry of immediate statements in defense of the EU’s right to “regulate in line with its own values,” Brussels has requested clarification from Washington and is considering a response that could be structured on multiple levels.
A “mirror” response is not ruled out, even knowing that it could raise the diplomatic temperature on key dossiers such as trade, security and data sharing. For this reason too, the less conspicuous but considered more effective option remains that of not backing down on digital sovereignty as a non‑negotiable principle, shielding it from pressure from the White House.
A trajectory welcomed by the number two of the EU Commission, Teresa Ribera, who is working to urge caution against a “race to the bottom” capable of eroding rules on social media and the Green Deal, without which Europe would end up “losing” identity and negotiating clout (December 23).
