The United States will impose visa restrictions on foreign officials it accuses of censoring Americans, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday, in a move that could potentially target regulators of US tech companies abroad.
Though Rubio did not cite specific examples of censorship, he said the policy would apply to foreign nationals deemed responsible for suppressing protected expression originating from the United States. The Biden administration and US tech companies have previously criticised European allies over content regulation policies, but banning officials from entering the US marks a significant escalation.
“It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants for social media posts made on US soil,” Rubio said in a statement. “It is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States.”
Rubio accused some foreign officials of engaging in “flagrant censorship actions” against US tech firms and citizens, despite having no jurisdiction to do so.
US social media companies, including Meta—owner of Facebook and Instagram—have challenged the European Union’s Digital Services Act, labelling it a form of censorship. In March, the Trump-appointed head of the US Federal Communications Commission also criticised the Act, claiming it overly restricts freedom of expression.
EU officials, however, defended the legislation, saying it aims to make the internet safer by requiring platforms to remove illegal content, including hate speech and child sexual abuse material.
In a social media post, Rubio added, “Whether in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere, the days of passive treatment for those who work to undermine the rights of Americans are over.”
Rubio did not specify which individuals or countries would be affected. However, Brazil has faced scrutiny for pressuring the platform X—owned by Trump ally Elon Musk—to remove accounts accused of spreading misinformation. The Trump administration has also frequently criticised European countries over alleged censorship practices.
Earlier in February, Vice President JD Vance condemned foreign content moderation efforts during a visit to Paris, describing them as “authoritarian censorship.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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