The Trump administration is reportedly considering revoking the visas of two high-profile European green card holders, according to documents seen by Zeteo, the news outlet run by journalist Mehdi Hasan, formerly of MSNBC. Both individuals are well-known critics of X (formelrly Twitter) the social media platform owned by Trump ally and Tesla boss, Elon Musk.
Trump admin to revoke visas of high-profile Musk critics
According to the report from Zeteo, the two figures under review are Thierry Breton, former European Union Commissioner, and Imran Ahmed, CEO and founder of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate. The documents, part of a draft action memo for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, describe options for the administration to take action against people they believe are involved in “censorship” of Americans.
According to the same report, the draft memo is partly a reaction to a $140 million fine the European Union levied against X (formerly Twitter) for breaking rules about transparency. According to Zeteo, the Trump administration is using this as a reason to put pressure on people linked to X (formerly Twitter) over regulatory issues, as part of its wider effort to go after social media critics. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier said the fine was an “attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments”.
According to Zeteo, the move would mark one of the first times the administration is attempting to revoke visas from people they consider to be interfering with Americans’ speech online. Just last week, officials reportedly ordered staff to screen out skilled worker visa applicants who had previously worked to combat online misinformation.
The administration has previously detained foreign students for speaking out against Israel’s military actions in Palestine. Officials have also suggested that visiting tourists might soon be required to submit five years’ worth of social media posts before entering the United States.
Visa revocations linked to Social Media comments
This is not the first time Trump’s administration has revoked visas over social media activity. According to a Guardian report, back in October, the State Department announced it had revoked visas for six foreigners who made online comments about the assassination of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk.
A statement from the State Department at the time said: “The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans.” The department listed six examples of foreign nationals who were no longer welcome, including people from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and South Africa. Screenshots from their posts revealed comments criticising Kirk, with some users accused of being abusive toward conservatives on X.
Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were quoted as saying they would “defend our borders, our culture, and our citizens by enforcing our immigration laws. Aliens who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”
