Trump’s “Big Tech First” Agenda On Display with Outrageous Visa Bans on EU Officials
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, the Trump administration imposed visa bans on a former European Union Commissioner, and four other European individuals involved in the implementation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act. This follows similar actions taken earlier this year, when the administration revoked visas of various Brazilian officials, accusing them of censoring U.S. social media companies while implementing their laws, and also launched a questionable Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s digital sector regulations.
In response, Melinda St Louis, Global Trade Watch Director at Public Citizen, issued the following statement:
“This outrageous misuse of executive power is part of Trump’s systematic ‘Big Tech First’ agenda, targeting countries that are attempting to regulate tech companies in the public interest. Revoking the visas of EU officials and various civil society campaigners for holding tech companies accountable for social media harms shows just how far the Trump administration will go to bat for Big Tech companies.
“This is yet another egregious example of the Trump administration carrying water for Big Tech, through its trade agenda, recent trade negotiations, and its domestic deregulatory policies.
“Immigration or trade policy should not be used as a tool to attack foreign countries’ democratically enacted digital laws. Rather than protect American consumers, workers or communities from the harms of Big Tech greed, the Trump administration has clearly indicated it is willing to use all tools at its disposal to protect the profits of his tech buddies.”