Donald Trump’s pettiness just reached a whole new dangerous level
Criticize Donald Trump and you might not make it into the United States. This is the message that is starting to emerge from recent headlines that have not gotten much press. Time will soon tell if these cases are isolated events or part of a new trend where voicing political dissent against the Trump administration puts you at risk of detention or denial of entry.
In just the past few weeks, reports have surfaced that a French scientist and, separately, members of a British punk band had to explain themselves to officials who allegedly took action against them because of their past criticism of Trump.
An unnamed scientist with France’s National Center for Scientific Research who flew to the United States to attend a conference near Houston was deported, according to reporting from The New York Times. French officials claim that U.S. border agents searched his phone and found private texts revealing criticism of Trump’s science policies.
A Homeland Security spokesperson later called the allegation “blatantly false” and claimed the scientist had “confidential” data from an American lab without providing any details, according to a later report. Checking private messages has historically been a rare practice, making this even more suspicious. According to the earlier Times report, fewer than 0.01% of international travelers had their electronic devices searched in 2024 upon arrival in the United States.
Soon after, three members of UK Subs, a British punk band, were detained for 24 hours after flying to Los Angeles to perform, then all but one was deported. According to a report from The Guardian, the group was first told there was a visa issue before officials admitted the detainment was for an undisclosed reason. UK Subs has a history of speaking out against Trump during live performances. The sole member who made it into the country had to perform with stand-in musicians.
What happened to the free speech rights that Republicans complained were under assault under the Biden administration? Is this just the beginning of a dark, disturbing trend? Stay tuned.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month