US Sanctions on Thierry Breton Escalate Transatlantic Tech Tensions

The United States government has imposed unprecedented sanctions on Thierry Breton, former European Commissioner for the Internal Market, along with four other European tech figures. Announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on December 23, 2024, these sanctions accuse Breton and others of promoting censorship against Americans, a move directly linked to the European Union's €120 million fine on Elon Musk's social media platform X for violating the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Marco Rubio condemned the EU's enforcement actions as "flagrant acts of extraterritorial censorship," describing the fine as an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments. Rubio warned of significant foreign policy repercussions in response.

The sanctions have triggered strong political reactions in Europe. Eurodeputy Nathalie Loiseau suggested retaliating by denying entry to the U.S. Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who praised the U.S. sanctions and criticized European regulation as censorship. European leaders have unanimously condemned the U.S. actions, with French President Emmanuel Macron supporting Breton but refraining from proposing retaliation, emphasizing the democratic legitimacy of EU digital regulations and European sovereignty in the digital sphere. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed these sentiments.

Former French ambassador Michel Duclos stressed the importance for Europe to prepare for potential further retaliations, questioning the readiness of European nations for an escalating conflict.

This development highlights a deepening rift between Washington and Brussels over digital sovereignty and regulations, marking a rare instance of sanctions among long-standing allies and raising the prospect of a widening transatlantic tech dispute.