US defends sanctions on Western Europeans accused of digital censorship

The Trump administration has repeatedly condemned curbs targeting online speech

US Undersecretary of State Sarah Rogers has defended Washington’s decision to sanction several Europeans, saying that “extraterritorial censorship of Americans” undermines free speech and innovation.

Last week, the US State Department imposed sanctions on five individuals, including British nationals Imran Ahmed and Clare Melford, German citizens Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, and former EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said those targeted had “led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose.” 

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Rogers said the measures were aimed at protecting free expression and the competitiveness of the US technology sector. “These are people who, in many cases, took government money to destroy American businesses for the purpose of suppressing American speech,” she said.

“These are, ultimately, serious decisions that rest with the Secretary of State and take into account all of our foreign policy priorities. But free speech is one of those priorities, and so is the continued ability of the American tech sector to lead and innovate,” she added.

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The sanctions come amid a widening dispute between the US and the EU over online speech regulation, digital platform governance, and the reach of national laws beyond their borders. Elon Musk, whose platform X was fined about €120 million ($140 million) by EU regulators for what they described as violations of transparency rules set out in the bloc’s Digital Services Act, welcomed the move, calling it “so great.” 

Earlier, Musk blasted the penalty, calling the EU a “bureaucratic monster” that should be abolished, while accusing Brussels of trying to pressure X into censoring speech.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who appointed Breton himself, accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation.” UK Labour MP Chi Onwurah said banning individuals over speech disputes undermines the free speech the US administration claims to defend.

The rift was reflected in Washington’s latest National Security Strategy, which warned that the EU faces potential “civilizational erasure” due to curbs on free speech, suppression of political opposition, and regulatory pressure on innovation.