Introduction of targeted visa restrictions on EU officials: Washington contains extraterritorial pressure on U.S. technology platforms

On December 23, 2025, the US State Department imposed visa restrictions on five European figures associated with the formation and promotion of a stricter regulatory regime for online platforms in Europe.

Among them are former European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, leaders of the German HateAid Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate Imran Ahmed, and co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index Clare Melford.

Washington justified the move as protection of freedom of speech and countering extraterritorial pressure on American platforms under the guise of combating disinformation and hate speech.

The visa restrictions shift the dispute between the U.S. and the EU over the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act into the realm of state interests. The target is no longer an abstract Brussels, but specific architects of the EU’s regulatory extraterritoriality.