European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have sharply criticized the United States after Washington imposed visa bans on several prominent European figures involved in efforts to regulate major American technology companies.

The move has been widely described in Europe as an act of political pressure that threatens transatlantic relations.

The visa bans, imposed on Tuesday, target Thierry Breton, the former European Union commissioner and one of the key architects of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with four prominent anti-disinformation campaigners. Those affected include Imran Ahmed, the British chief executive of the US-based Center for Countering Digital Hate; Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German non-profit organization HateAid; and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision in a statement posted on X, accusing European officials and activists of exerting pressure on American technology platforms. Rubio said Washington would no longer tolerate what he described as “extraterritorial censorship” aimed at suppressing American viewpoints.

The decision prompted swift condemnation from across Europe. France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and several EU institutions criticized the bans, with Brussels warning that it could respond “swiftly and decisively” to what it described as unjustified measures.

President Macron denounced the move as an attack on Europe’s autonomy, saying the visa bans amounted to “coercion and intimidation” designed to undermine European digital sovereignty. He stressed that the EU’s digital regulations were adopted through a democratic and sovereign process and apply only within Europe to ensure fair competition and uphold the rule that what is illegal offline should also be illegal online. Macron later said he had spoken with Breton and thanked him for his service, adding that Europe would not abandon its independence or freedoms.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed these remarks, saying European societies are free and sovereign and cannot allow external powers to dictate the rules governing their digital space.

Breton, who served as European commissioner for the internal market from 2019 to 2024, strongly rejected Washington’s accusations. He said the DSA had been approved by an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament and unanimously by all 27 EU member states, arguing that censorship was being mischaracterized. He likened the US action to a political “witch-hunt.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also weighed in, reaffirming that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of European democracy and pledging to defend the EU’s regulatory autonomy if necessary. A commission spokesperson said the bloc stands ready to act to protect its sovereignty.

In the UK, government officials said Britain remains fully committed to the principle of free speech, while supporting international cooperation on tackling online harms.

The Digital Services Act, passed in 2022, requires major digital platforms to take concrete steps to address illegal content, hate speech and disinformation, including material that could undermine democratic processes. The law has been a point of contention with Washington, which argues it places undue restrictions on free expression and disproportionately targets US-based technology firms.

The dispute comes amid growing transatlantic tensions over artificial intelligence, digital governance and the power of large technology companies. Observers say these issues are increasingly central to global political and economic influence, raising the stakes for both sides.

Thierry Breton has since been replaced as EU internal market commissioner by Stéphane Séjourné, who expressed solidarity with his predecessor, saying that no sanctions would silence the sovereignty of European peoples.

US officials, including Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, have described Breton as a central figure behind the DSA, underscoring Washington’s view that the legislation represents a strategic challenge to American technology interests. (ILKHA)