Secretary of State Marco Rubio is taking a stand for free speech and warning Americans they are not immune from European censorship crackdowns.
After the Trump administration’s State Department said free speech is a “red line” with Europe, Rubio doubled down at a Dec. 19 press conference. “Are we going to live in a world where some American puts up a social media post and then gets to some airport somewhere and is arrested?” he challenged in response to a question from The Daily Wire’s Cameron Arcand. The State Department is considering proposals from lawmakers on sanctioning European officials who actively orchestrate far-reaching censorship.
RUBIO tells @realDailyWire’s @cameron_arcand he’s concerned that freedom of expression is being eroded in Europe pic.twitter.com/ahy4T1KcgS
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) December 19, 2025
Rubio pointed to a concrete example of what he is criticizing, explaining that American technology companies are under pressure just as individual citizens are being targeted. “As you recently saw, X is facing this massive multi-million dollar fine that they’re going to have to pay, I guess, if they want to continue to operate [in Europe],” he noted.
Since partnerships with foreign governments are “built on our — like, on our common principles, our common values,” Rubio added, and “one of those values and principles — we hope — is freedom, and freedom of expression, and we’re concerned that that is eroding.”
Indeed, Rubio’s Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers responded to a letter from Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) on Dec. 18 by declaring, “When foreign governments censor foreign speech, they err. But when they aim to censor American speech—on American soil, and American networks — they cross a red line. We look forward to @SenEricSchmitt’s forthcoming legislation. And, watch for more from @StateDept soon.”
Schmitt wrote a letter this past week urging the Trump administration to “sanction foreign actors—in the European Union and elsewhere—who aid and abet this censorship regime.” He offered aid in bringing forward legislation to assist the State Department if necessary.
Free speech is under attack! Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
