Europe slams U.S. visa bans for targeting allies over 'censorship'

"Washington imposed visa bans on Tuesday on five European citizens, including French former EU commissioner Thierry Breton. It accuses them of working to censor freedom of speech or unfairly target U.S. tech giants with burdensome regulation. The bans mark a fresh escalation against Europe, a region Washington argues is fast becoming irrelevant due to its weak defences, inability to tackle immigration, needless red tape, and "censorship" of far-right and nationalist voices to keep them from power."

"They come just weeks after a U.S. National Security Strategy document warned Europe faced "civilizational erasure" and must course-correct if it is to remain a reliable U.S. ally. That document-and other comments by senior Trump officials, including a bombshell February speech by Vice President JD Vance in Munich-have upended postwar assumptions about Europe's close relationship with its strongest ally, and concentrated minds across European capitals on the urgent need to diversify away from reliance on U.S. technology and defence."

"In Brussels, Paris, and Berlin, senior officials condemned the U.S. bans and defended Europe's right to legislate on how foreign companies operate locally. A European Commission spokesperson said it "strongly condemns the U.S. decision", adding: "Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States across the democratic world." The spokesperson said the EU would seek answers from Washington, but said it could "respond swiftly and decisively" against the "unjustified measures"."

The United States imposed visa bans on five European citizens, including former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, accusing them of censoring free speech or unfairly targeting U.S. tech companies with burdensome regulation. Washington framed the measures as part of a broader escalation, saying Europe risks irrelevance due to weak defenses, immigration challenges, needless red tape, and censorship of far-right and nationalist voices. A U.S. National Security Strategy warned of "civilizational erasure" and urged Europe to course-correct. Senior U.S. officials' remarks unsettled postwar assumptions and pushed European capitals to consider diversifying away from reliance on U.S. technology and defense. EU, French, and German officials condemned the bans and defended European legislative autonomy.

Read at Fast Company