U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds a year-end press conference at the State Department in Washington D.C. on December 19, 2025. [Reuters/Kevin Mohart]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a strong blow to Europe on Tuesday by imposing visa restrictions on European officials, who he described as "masterminds who have systematically pressured American platforms to punish American views they disagree with."

Rubio stated on X, "The Trump administration will no longer tolerate these heinous transnational censorship operations. Today, the State Department will take action to block from entering the United States key figures in the global censorship industrial complex." He added, "We are prepared to expand this list if others do not change course."

The order targets five individuals for "leading censorship operations" against U.S. companies and speakers, though the Secretary of State did not disclose their names.

Rubio determined that the "entry, presence, or activities in the United States" of these five individuals could have serious adverse foreign policy consequences, and therefore, visa restrictions would be imposed on these "agents of the global censorship industrial complex," prohibiting their entry into the United States.

In a State Department press release that day, Rubio stated, "Radical activists and armed NGOs have incited censorship operations by foreign governments, targeting American speakers and American companies in each instance. Consequently, I have determined that their entry, presence, or activities in the United States could have serious adverse foreign policy consequences."

He explained, "Pursuant to this determination, the Department of State is implementing visa restrictions on agents of the global censorship industrial complex, who will consequently generally be ineligible to enter the United States. Furthermore, pursuant to foreign policy decisions, the Department of Homeland Security may initiate removal proceedings against certain individuals under Section 237(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, rendering them subject to removal."

Secretary Rubio also added, "President Trump has made it clear that the ‘America First’ foreign policy does not tolerate infringements on American sovereignty. This includes attempts by foreign censorship bodies to exercise extraterritorial authority by targeting American freedom of expression. The State Department is prepared to expand the list of sanctioned individuals announced today if other foreign actors do not change their positions."

Section 237(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act permits the Secretary of State to remove any alien from the United States if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the alien's presence or activities in the United States could have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.

U.S. NNP=Reporter Hong Sung-goo / Special Contribution to This Paper NNP info@newsandpost.com