French President Emmanuel Macron has openly accused the Trump administration of using intimidation and pressure against Europe, as tensions between Washington and the European Union continue to rise.
The clash centers on free speech, tech regulation, and who gets to set the rules online.
Macron’s comments came after the United States barred five European figures from entering the country. The move followed a growing dispute over Europe’s regulation of American technology companies and how online speech should be handled.
In a statement posted Wednesday morning on X, Macron said France strongly condemns the visa bans. He warned the decision amounts to “intimidation and coercion” aimed at weakening Europe’s digital independence.
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He made clear that Europe is not backing down
Macron stressed that the EU’s digital laws were approved through democratic votes by the European Parliament and member states. He said the rules apply equally inside Europe and are designed to ensure fair competition and public safety online.
He also pushed back against claims that the regulations target the United States.
According to Macron, the goal is simple: what is illegal offline should also be illegal online. Nothing more.
That message directly challenges the Trump administration’s view.
The White House has repeatedly argued that free speech in Europe is under threat. It has described the EU’s Digital Services Act as a censorship tool that unfairly punishes U.S.-based tech companies with heavy fines.
That disagreement is now shaping U.S. foreign policy.
In its latest National Security Strategy, the Trump administration says it plans to work with political allies in Europe to roll back digital regulations, migration policies, and speech restrictions.
The visa bans appear to be part of that push.
On Tuesday, the State Department confirmed it had blocked five Europeans accused of pressuring American platforms to censor U.S. viewpoints. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the individuals as activists who had crossed a line.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms,” Rubio wrote on X. He said the administration would no longer tolerate what he called “extraterritorial censorship.”
Instead of regulating platforms directly, the administration is using immigration law to send a message.
Among those barred are leaders from groups focused on countering online hate and disinformation, as well as former EU digital chief Thierry Breton.
State Department officials labeled Breton the driving force behind the Digital Services Act. They pointed to his past warnings to Elon Musk over the spread of harmful content during a livestream interview with Trump in 2024.
Featured image via X screengrab
