European Union Might Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Travel Restrictions, Official States

The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the US against five Europeans involved in fighting digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official has said.

EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’

Officials from Europe including the French president accused the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, after the travel bans were placed on figures that were at the heart of campaigns to introduce laws governing US-based technology firms.

“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will not stand for these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”

Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in condemning the decision.

The restrictions were enacted on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, as well as four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.

A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation

This European legislation is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the rules are essential to control inflammatory language and disinformation.

This row risks becoming a facet of a far wider existing political and ideological clash between the current US administration and Europe.

Additional Updates Reported Today

In other legal developments:

• A federal judge has halted efforts to reduce security grants to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the case was “another example” of linking government assistance to adherence to directives.
• Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the holiday period, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
• The nation of Palau will consent to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with US authorities.

Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of a political figure’s name from a prominent performing arts center in Washington DC.

Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil align with a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.