Jan. 15 — The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute opposes the Trump administration’s decision to deny the US visas to European public officials and civil society leaders working in counterdisinformation and fact-checking.

On Dec. 23, 2025, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, said that the US State Department prohibits entry into the country to five Europeans. Rubio accused them of pressure on the US tech companies and efforts to censor or suppress American ‘viewpoints.’ 

The ban-list includes the leaders of organizations that advocate for information integrity and Thierry Breton, the former EU commissioner who clashed with Elon Musk, American billionaire. 

Four other names in the list is Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organization; Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index, said Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary of State for public diplomacy. 

The IFCN said the measures target professionals working to protect the information space and punish researchers and fact-checkers for carrying out their duties under democratic laws.

The organization also said that some of those affected operate in line with European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act, and that their work involves exposing coordinated disinformation campaigns and protecting the public’s right to access reliable information.

The IFCN also opposed the classification of fact-checkers, researchers, and trust and safety professionals as national security threats. The organization said such approaches are used to pressure independent media and run counter to democratic values.

In addition, the network said it intends to assess the impact of the new US policy on journalists’ and fact-checkers’ ability to work without the risk of political persecution.

In its statement, the organization called for the visa restrictions to be lifted, adding that protecting freedom of expression must include supporting those who work to ensure transparency, information integrity, and the rule of law.

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