🔗 Share this article European Union Could Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Spokesperson States The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the United States on five Europeans involved in fighting online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated. European Leaders Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’ European leaders including the French president charged the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures that were central to campaigns to enact laws governing US-based technology firms. “For far too long, European activists have led organised efforts to pressure US companies to punish US perspectives they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for such actions of extraterritorial censorship.” Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in criticizing the decision. The restrictions were imposed this week on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK. An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to combat inflammatory language and disinformation. This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and Europe. Additional Updates Reported Today In other legal news: A US district judge has halted attempts to cut security grants to states which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official ruled the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to adherence to directives. Authorization was issued for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city ahead of the new year, alongside an ongoing border security initiative. The nation of Palau will consent to take in dozens of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following signing a formal agreement with US authorities. Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in Washington DC. Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the United States on five Europeans involved in fighting online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated. European Leaders Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’ European leaders including the French president charged the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures that were central to campaigns to enact laws governing US-based technology firms. “For far too long, European activists have led organised efforts to pressure US companies to punish US perspectives they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for such actions of extraterritorial censorship.” Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in criticizing the decision. The restrictions were imposed this week on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK. An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to combat inflammatory language and disinformation. This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and Europe. Additional Updates Reported Today In other legal news: A US district judge has halted attempts to cut security grants to states which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official ruled the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to adherence to directives. Authorization was issued for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city ahead of the new year, alongside an ongoing border security initiative. The nation of Palau will consent to take in dozens of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following signing a formal agreement with US authorities. Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in Washington DC. Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.