07:03, Thu, May 29, 2025 | UPDATED: 07:14, Thu, May 29, 2025
The US has criticised several European nations for perceived breaches of free speech (Image: Getty)
British officials could be banned from working in the United States, if they are believed to be censoring the free speech rights of citizens. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, accused foreign officials of being “complicit in censoring”, as he made the threat that their entry into the country could be denied.
Whilst not naming any country, it is believed that US tech companies and the Trump administration have challenged US allies who they allege have censored citizens on social media. Writing in a statement, Rubio said that a new visa restriction policy would apply to foreign nationals responsible for censorship, just days after the administration said it was monitoring the case of Lucy Connolly in the UK. He said: “For too long, Americans have been fined, harassed, and even charged by foreign authorities for exercising their free speech rights.
The move could see British officials prevented from working in the US (Image: Getty)
“It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on US citizens or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil.”
He added: “It is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States.”
Earlier this week, the White House said that it was “monitoring” the case of Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Conservative councillor, who was jailed for 31 months over a social media post about the Southport attacks.
It came after a judge dismissed her appeal against her sentence, meaning that she will not be released before August.
Keir Starmer defended Britain's tolerance of free speech in the White House earlier this year (Image: Getty)
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His comments on the matter when Sir Keir Starmer visited the White House were abruptly shut down and dismissed by the UK Prime Minister who said that “we've had free speech for a very long time, it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that".
Critics have hit out at perceived hypocrisy, as the administration puts emphasis on free speech whilst banning news outlet AP from entering the White House for refusing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as ‘The Gulf of America’.
Earlier this week, the administration ordered embassies across the world to halt the processing of student visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of such applicants.
The government has also sought to deport several foreign students in response to comments made on social media about the war in Gaza.
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