The U.S. government, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals involved in censorship of Americans, a move that marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s global free speech offensive. The policy is designed to punish foreign officials—particularly in Europe and Latin America—who are perceived to be restricting free expression on U.S.-based platforms or issuing legal threats against U.S. citizens and tech companies.
Rubio did not name specific individuals or countries but said the policy is intended for those responsible for censoring protected speech in the U.S., including foreign regulators demanding content takedowns from American tech firms. This comes amid growing tension between U.S. tech companies—such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram)—and European regulators, particularly over the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which the U.S. claims restricts freedom of expression.
Rubio emphasized that it is “unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants for social media posts made on U.S. soil” or to demand global enforcement of censorship rules. He specifically criticized efforts to force U.S. platforms to adopt foreign content moderation policies, calling such moves overreach and an attack on American values.
The visa ban policy would potentially block these officials from entering the U.S., a move viewed as a diplomatic retaliation for what Washington sees as extraterritorial censorship efforts.
The statement also takes aim at countries like Brazil, where officials have demanded Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) take down certain accounts accused of spreading disinformation—actions that have been viewed by some in the U.S. as politically motivated censorship.
Rubio’s remarks follow a series of anti-censorship moves by the Trump administration:
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In April, Rubio shut down a State Department office tasked with countering foreign disinformation, accusing it of censorship and taxpayer misuse.
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Vice President JD Vance called European-style content moderation “authoritarian censorship” during a visit to Paris in February.
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by a Trump appointee, has openly criticized the EU’s DSA, arguing it undermines fundamental freedoms.
European officials, meanwhile, defend their legislation as necessary to combat illegal content, such as hate speech, disinformation, and child exploitation material, and argue it applies fairly across platforms operating in the EU.
Rubio stated that free speech is a cornerstone of America’s shared values with Europe, and said the issue has been raised with leaders including the British Prime Minister. He warned that continued foreign attempts to suppress U.S. speech would have diplomatic consequences.
In a pointed social media post, Rubio declared:
“Whether in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere, the days of passive treatment for those who work to undermine the rights of Americans are over.”
This shift signals that foreign speech regulations with global ambitions may now face concrete retaliation, not just rhetorical pushback, from Washington.
