The Donald Trump Administration has announced visa restrictions on five “agents of the global censorship industrial complex”, including the former European Union Internal Market Commissioner. Thierry Bretonwhom he accuses of being the “brains” and coercing American platforms to censor contrary opinions.
The Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Sarah Rogershas confirmed that among those affected is Breton, for being “one of the architects” of the Digital Services Act (DSA), the regulations enacted last year that try to combat illegal content and protect internet users and that contemplate sanctions for companies that fail to comply.
In a statement released on his social network account
Today, the United States issued SANCTIONS reinforcing the “red line” I invoked on @GBNEWS. Namely: extraterritorial censorship of Americans.
Today’s sanctions target the censorship-NGO ecosystem.? https://t.co/kaefDo11uh
— Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers (@UnderSecPD) December 23, 2025
Rogers has denounced that Breton “used the DSA to threaten” Musk by reminding him “ominously” in his letter of the “ongoing legal proceedings for alleged failure to comply with the DSA’s legal requirements on illegal content and disinformation.”
The former commissioner responded to the announcement with a brief message in
Is a wind of McCarthyism blowing again? ?
As a reminder: 90% of the European Parliament — democratically elected — and the 27 Member States unanimously voted for the DSA??
To our American friends: “Censorship is not where you think it is. »
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) December 23, 2025
Likewise, he recalled that “90% of the European Parliament – our democratically elected body – and the 27 Member States voted unanimously for the DSA” and addressing “(his) American friends” he stated that “censorship is not where you think.”
The other four affected by the visa restrictions announced this Tuesday are: Imran Ahmed, from the Center for the Fight against Digital Hate; Clare Melford, of the Global Misinformation Index; Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, both of HateAid.
The State Department considers that “these radical activists and politicized NGOs have promoted repressive censorship measures by foreign states, in all cases directed against Americans,” which is why it has determined that their presence in the United States “has potentially serious consequences for the country’s foreign policy.”
The five, the diplomatic portfolio has indicated, “will be prohibited from entering the United States” and may be subject to a “deportation procedure” by the Department of Homeland Security.
Thus, he reiterated that Trump “has been clear in stating that his ‘America First’ foreign policy rejects violations of American sovereignty”, maintaining that “the extraterritorial overreach of foreign censors who attack American freedom of expression is no exception.”
Spain defends Breton
The Spanish Government has expressed its solidarity with former European Commissioner Thierry Breton in a statement. The Executive has also expressed its solidarity with “the [cuatro] responsible for civil society organizations that fight against disinformation and hate speech”, since they have also been subject to restrictions by the North American country.
“They constitute unacceptable measures between partners and allies,” the note stated regarding the behavior of the United States.
“A safe digital space, free of illicit content and disinformation, is a fundamental value for democracy in Europe and everyone’s responsibility. The Digital Services Regulation protects this space without discrimination,” the Government has argued.