Breton responded to the sanctions by questioning if former U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist “witch hunt” was being revived, highlighting that the DSA had been approved by the majority of lawmakers in the European Parliament and unanimously backed by the bloc’s 27 member countries. “Censorship isn’t where you think it is,” he wrote, criticizing U.S. efforts to undermine the EU’s quest to reduce the spread of disinformation.
European Commission Vice President for Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné supported Breton, stating that “no sanction will silence the sovereignty of the European peoples.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the visa restrictions and defended the DSA, emphasizing that it ensures “what is illegal offline is also illegal online.”
The European Commission condemned the move, stating that freedom of expression is a “fundamental right” and a “shared core value with the United States across the democratic world.” The Commission requested “clarifications” from the U.S. and asserted it would “respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures” if needed.
The Trump administration is openly opposed to European attempts to regulate online platforms. Vice President JD Vance regularly criticizes alleged attempts to censor free speech through digital rules and argued that the EU should not be “attacking American companies over garbage.”
Tech policy professionals suggest actions like the recent sanctions package may be a negotiating tactic from the White House to express discontent with Europe’s regulations while avoiding new trade wars that could threaten the U.S. economy.
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