"This is what fascism looks like": USA expels French citizens for "criticizing Trump" in cell phone messages

Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger "This is what fascism looks like": USA expels French citizens for "criticizing Trump" in cell phone messages David Schmitz • 2 hours • 3 minutes read An electronic image of the Statue of Liberty greets arriving travelers on an escalator in the new Terminal B of LaGuardia Airport. A French scientist was denied entry to the USA in March because American authorities, during a random search of his cell phone, found messages in which the researcher had expressed "criticism of the Trump administration." French Research Minister Philippe Baptiste told the newspaper "Le Monde" this. "This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher's phone contained conversations with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion about the Trump administration's research policy," the minister added, indirectly expressing sharp criticism of the US government. US authorities speak of "hateful messages" "Freedom of expression, free research, and academic freedom are values ​​that we will continue to uphold with pride," Baptiste assured. "I will defend the right of all French researchers to remain faithful to these values ​​while respecting the law." According to French media reports, the incident allegedly occurred on March 9. According to the French news agency AFP, US authorities accused the Frenchman of "hateful and conspiratorial messages," the exchange of which "reflects hatred of Trump and can be described as terrorism." The report also stated that the man had been informed of FBI investigations against him. However, these investigations were then "dropped" shortly before his deportation. French Minister Calls on US Researchers to Relocate Meanwhile, Research Minister Baptiste called on American scientists to relocate to France in an open letter. "Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States," the French minister wrote. "We would, of course, like to accept a certain number of them." On March 12, the Frenchman had already complained during a television appearance that research in the fields of health, climate, energy, and artificial intelligence in the USA was being "sawed to pieces." Baptiste also sharply criticized the role of tech billionaire Elon Musk within the administration of US President Donald Trump. "None of this makes any sense," the minister commented on the radical austerity measures in the USA pushed by Musk. US authorities' action causes great outrage The report of the expulsion for criticizing Trump quickly caused considerable uproar and outrage on social media. "The USA is now equivalent to North Korea," one user on the platform X expressed his horror at the actions of the US authorities. "The USA is slipping into darkness," another stated. Some scientists also reacted to the report. "I think I can't enter Russia or the US now," wrote Canadian historian Ian Garner on Platform X. US expels researchers: "This is an outrage" American security expert Olga Lautman was also outraged by the measure: "If anyone needs more proof that we are now an authoritarian state... this is an outrage," she wrote on Platform X, comparing the methods of the Trump administration to those of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in Russia. Meanwhile, American anthropologist Eric Reinhart was even more explicit. "This is what fascism looks like," he wrote in response to the news of the French researcher's expulsion. US Vice President J.D. Vance criticized freedom of expression in Europe The outrage over the measure also comes in the context of the words of US Vice President J.D. Vance, who accused European states of allegedly restricting freedom of expression at the Munich Security Conference. "In Vance English, 'freedom of speech' means 'let Musk run your elections,' and 'democracy' means 'let Russia run your elections,'" American historian Timothy Snyder smugly commented on the attacks on Europe at the time. French politician demands return of Statue of Liberty Musk also repeatedly makes accusations similar to those of Vance. US President Trump, meanwhile, recently claimed that major media outlets' critical reporting about him was "illegal." There had already been a stir between the US and France this week after a French politician demanded the return of the Statue of Liberty to his country. A spokeswoman for US President Trump rejected the demand. "It's only thanks to the US that the French don't speak German now," she said.