𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

A US lawmaker has called on Donald Trump to consider visa restrictions for Ofcom staff amid its attempts to impose “tyrannical censorship” on America. Senator Eric Schmitt wrote to the President yesterday, demanding sanctions against foreign actors in both the European Union and elsewhere who “aid and abet” censorship.

Mr Schmitt warned that Western governments have been carrying out “alarming attacks on basic liberties”, pointing to a number of examples of European governments imprisoning citizens over speech-related crimes. One example cited a British man jailed for eight weeks for sharing three “grossly offensive” memes during last year’s riots. While the bulk of his criticism was directed at the EU, Mr Schmitt directly cited the recently-passed Online Safety Act as an example of Britain imposing free speech restrictions on America.

He argued: “The UK recently passed its own DSA-style bill—the Online Safety Act—and its stringent censorship rules apply to all services that are accessible in the UK, even if the company isn’t based there.

“Once again, companies that fail to comply face huge fines.

“This, too, is not an abstract threat: Britain’s online speech regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), recently embarked on a campaign to enforce the Online Safety Act against Americans exercising their free speech rights here on American soil.”

He called for “aggressive action” to protect American free speech and sovereignty, including freezing assets of foreigners involved in violating free speech rights and visa restrictions banning them from entering the United States.

Senator Schmitt has written to the American foreign office directly, calling for visa and travel restrictions against Ofcom staff.

He argued: “It is well-established that the federal government has the power to block the entry of individuals who seek to undermine the foundations of our society.

“There is no reason to facilitate foreign censorship of US citizens by granting these would-be tyrants entry into our country.”

In August an official report by the US State Department condemned the crisis of free speech and human rights in Britain, arguing it had “worsened during the year”.

It also cited “serious restrictions on freedom of expression”, and a “two-tier” justice system.

Both Donald Trump and JD Vance have criticised the lack of freedom of expression in Britain and the EU, with the Vice President warning Britain not to go down a “very dark path”.

He said he had raised concerns about free speech in the US, and accused other western leaders of “censoring rather than engaging” with freedom of expression.

Ofcom was approached for comment.