Rubio, commenting on this decision, noted that U.S. President Donald Trump clearly outlined a foreign policy aimed at protecting American sovereignty. He emphasized that the extraterritorial actions of foreign censors would not be an exception.
In its statement, the State Department described Breton as the "architect of the DSA," a law that requires internet platforms and social networks in the EU to protect users from illegal content and misinformation.
Republicans in the U.S. believe that the provisions of the DSA and the requirements for content moderation are censorship measures aimed against conservatives, although Brussels denies these accusations. In response to the news of the U.S. entry ban, Breton wrote on social media X: "For our American friends: censorship is not where you think it is."
In the fall of 2024, Breton left his position in the European Commission due to disagreements with President Ursula von der Leyen. He had previously clashed with Elon Musk over the platform's non-compliance with EU laws on user rights protection.
In December 2025, the European Commission imposed a fine of 120 million euros on the social network X for insufficient transparency in advertising and user verification systems. In response, the social network restricted advertising opportunities for the European Commission.
The Trump administration had previously expressed repeated critical remarks regarding EU digital laws, threatening to impose new import tariffs on countries with laws that "harm" American companies. Despite this, the EU intends to continue to uphold its rules.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department also imposed visa restrictions on British and German experts involved in combating misinformation and hate speech, who advised the European Commission on the implementation of the DSA.
Among those sanctioned are Claire Malford, head of the British NGO Global Disinformation Index (GDI), Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon from the German organization HateAid, as well as Imran Ahmed, executive director of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) in Washington. He may also lose his right to stay in the U.S.
