Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new visa restrictions the Trump administration is implementing against foreign authorities who it says are "complicit" in censoring Americans.
"For too long, Americans have been fined, harassed, and even charged by foreign authorities for exercising their free speech rights," Rubio wrote on X. "Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign officials and persons who are complicit in censoring Americans. Free speech is essential to the American way of life – a birthright over which foreign governments have no authority."
"Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country," America's top diplomat 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."
The United States has long condemned censorship and repression by the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, and the Iranian and Cuban regimes, but the Trump administration more recently has added criticism against allies in Europe.
Vice President JD Vance argued that the European Union's Digital Services Act could effectively export European-style censorship to the U.S. through pressure against American tech companies.
In February, Vance accused European leaders at the Munich Security Conference of suppressing dissenting opinions by categorizing those views as "misinformation" and "disinformation."
"What I worry about is the threat from within – the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values," Vance said at the time.
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05.31.2025