Former European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton has suggested that a “witch hunt” is underway following a United States decision to deny him a visa, along with several others.
Breton made the remark in a post on X on Tuesday, questioning the motive behind the move.
“Is McCarthy’s witch hunt back?” Breton wrote.
Earlier, the US State Department announced that it would deny visas to Breton, a former European tech regulator, and four other individuals, accusing them of attempting to “coerce” American social media platforms into censoring viewpoints they oppose.
The State Department described Breton as the “mastermind” behind the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a major piece of EU legislation that imposes content moderation requirements and other regulatory standards on large social media platforms operating within Europe.
The DSA has been a source of tension between US officials and European regulators, particularly over concerns about free speech and regulatory overreach.
