The Trump administration is weighing sanctions against certain European Union and member-state officials involved in enforcing the bloc’s Digital Services Act, according to anonymous sources cited by Reuters. Sanctions under consideration could include visa restrictions, though details remain unclear, the sources said.
The administration argues the Act amounts to censorship of conservative American ideas and an attack on US tech companies. EU officials frame the DSA as a bulwark against illegal content.
Trump: US may ‘impose substantial additional tariffs’
The prospect of economic consequences surfaced during internal government discussions last week, according to Reuters. US officials reportedly discussed whether to target specific EU or member-state officials for punitive sanctions.
On Monday, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social the US may “impose substantial additional Tariffs on that Country’s Exports to the U.S.A., and institute Export restrictions on our Highly Protected Technology and Chips” on “all Countries with Digital Taxes, Legislation, Rules, or Regulations.”
“We are monitoring increasing censorship in Europe with great concern but have no further information to provide at this time,” a State Department spokesperson told Reuters.
Targeting individual member-state officials with sanctions would be an unusual tactic, though the Trump administration has set its own precedent for directly confronting political opponents abroad.
In June, Canada suspended enforcement of its Digital Services Tax after Trump stepped away from trade negotiations in response to the tax on large US tech firms.
What the Digital Services Act does
The Digital Services Act, which took effect across the EU in 2022, was put in place to prevent the spread of illegal content and disinformation on social networks, app stores, and other online platforms. The act puts additional onus on very large online platforms to authenticate the content published to their app storefronts or other content hubs.
Major US tech firms such as Apple and Meta fall under the Act’s scope due to their market dominance.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in the EU. It lies at the heart of the DSA,” an EU Commission spokesperson told Reuters. “It sets out rules for online intermediaries to tackle illegal content, while safeguarding freedom of expression and information online.”
While the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act were introduced around the same time, the two serve different purposes. Put simply, the DMA focuses on fostering fair competition in digital markets, while the DSA prioritizes transparency, user safety, and accountability for online platforms.
In other tech news, the US government plans to purchase a 10% stake in Intel. The company cautioned shareholders that the deal could damage relationships with international customers.
