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U.S. bans EU censorship adept Thierry Breton

Posted by Europe correspondent on

Brussels 24.12.2025 The U.S. State Department informed it would deny visas to five people, including a former EU Commissioner, for seeking to “coerce” American social media platforms into suppressing opposing opinions. Thierry Breton, being the EU Commissioner, was notorious actively engaging in fighting any dissent expressed publically, especially contradicting his boss – president Ursula von der Leyen.

The others on the ban list are: Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organisation, and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index (GDI).

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“These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states – in each case targeting American speakers and American companies,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Thierry Breton, the former top tech regulator at the European Commission, suggested that a “witch hunt” was taking place.

The Minister of the Foreign affairs of France issued a statement in support of his compatriot:

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“France condemns in the strongest possible terms the visa restrictions imposed by the United States on Thierry Breton, former minister and European Commissioner, and four other European figures.
“The Digital Services Act (DSA) was democratically adopted in Europe to ensure that what is illegal offline is also illegal online. It has absolutely no extraterritorial reach and in no way concerns the United States.
“The people of Europe are free and sovereign and cannot have the rules governing their digital space imposed upon them by others.”

Breton was described by the State Department as the “mastermind” of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes content “moderation” (censorship) of social media.

The situation with freedom of speech in Europe is lamentable, and has been well-known issue. It was also addressed previously by the U.S. vice-President JD Vance during his speech at Munich Security Conference. On 14 February 2025 he delivered a speech pointing to Europe’s principal danger occurring from erosion of democratic norms — especially censorship, suppression of dissent, and exclusion of populist voices.

FULL TEXT of the U.S. Statement here:
“U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE
“Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex
12/23/2025 02:07 PM EST

Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex
Press Statement
December 23, 2025

“The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose. These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states—in each case targeting American speakers and American companies. As such, I have determined that their entry, presence, or activities in the United States have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

“Based on these determinations, the Department has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on agents of the global censorship-industrial complex who, as a result, will be generally barred from entering the United States. Further, based on the foreign policy determination, the Department of Homeland Security can initiate removal proceedings against certain individuals pursuant to INA section 237(a)(4)(C), which renders such individuals deportable.

“President Trump has been clear that his America First foreign policy rejects violations of American sovereignty. Extraterritorial overreach by foreign censors targeting American speech is no exception. The State Department stands ready and willing to expand today’s list if other foreign actors do not reverse course.

“These actions are pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which renders inadmissible any alien whose entry into the Unites States the Secretary of State determines “would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.” Certain family members may also be covered by these restrictions. In addition, Section 237(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act renders an alien deportable from the United States if the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe the alien’s presence or activities in the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences”.

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