The US State Department has announced visa restrictions for five individuals, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, accusing them of attempting to “coerce” American social media platforms into suppressing certain viewpoints.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement, described the individuals as “radical activists and weaponised NGOs” who have been “advancing censorship crackdowns by foreign states – in each case targeting American speakers and American companies.”

Mr. Breton, who previously led the EU’s digital regulation efforts, dismissed the move as a “witch hunt.” He is considered the architect of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates content moderation on major social media platforms.

The DSA has drawn criticism from some US conservatives who allege it aims to censor right-leaning opinions, a claim Brussels vehemently denies. Tensions between Breton and Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), have been particularly high, with disagreements over compliance with EU regulations.

Recently, the European Commission imposed a 120 million euro (approximately GH₵168 million) fine on X for violations related to its blue tick verification system, deeming it “deceptive” due to insufficient user verification. X responded by blocking the Commission from advertising on its platform.

Reacting to the visa ban on X, Breton posted, “To our American friends: Censorship isn’t where you think it is.”

Also included on the list is Clare Melford, head of the UK-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI). US Undersecretary of State Sarah B Rogers accused the GDI of utilizing US taxpayer funds “to exhort censorship and blacklisting of American speech and press.”

A GDI spokesperson countered, stating that the sanctions represent “an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship.” They further added, “The Trump Administration is, once again, using the full weight of the federal government to intimidate, censor, and silence voices they disagree with. Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and un-American.”

Imran Ahmed, of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-profit focused on combating online hate and misinformation, also faces a visa ban. Ms. Rogers labelled Mr. Ahmed a “key collaborator” in what she described as the Biden Administration’s attempt to “weaponize the government against US citizens.” The BBC has sought comment from the CCDH.

Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, CEOs of the German organization HateAid, which supports victims of online hate and assists in enforcing the DSA, are also subject to the restrictions. In a statement, they called the ban “an act of repression by a government that is increasingly disregarding the rule of law and trying to silence its critics by any means necessary.” They affirmed their commitment to defending human rights and freedom of expression.

Rubio emphasized that the visa restrictions target “agents of the global censorship-industrial complex” and are intended to prevent foreign interference in American speech. He reiterated President Trump’s “America First” policy, stating that it “rejects violations of American sovereignty.”

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