France Slams US Visa Ban on Former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, Citing Censorship Allegations

The French government has strongly condemned a US visa ban imposed on Thierry Breton, a former European Union commissioner, and four other European figures. The ban, announced by the Trump administration on Tuesday, targets individuals involved in the EU's Digital Services Act, which US officials claim censors US social media platforms. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot took to social media to express his government's disapproval of the move, stating that the EU's Digital Services Act is a democratically adopted measure aimed at ensuring that online activities are in line with offline laws. He argued that the act has no extraterritorial reach and does not affect the US. Thierry Breton, a former French finance minister and European commissioner for the internal market, was at the center of the US visa ban. He has also condemned the move, calling it a 'witch hunt.' Breton pointed out that the EU's Digital Services Act was unanimously adopted by the European Parliament and all 27 member states. The US has accused Breton and other anti-disinformation campaigners of censoring US social media platforms, but Breton maintains that the EU's Digital Services Act is a legitimate regulation aimed at protecting citizens' rights online.