The Breitbart article from February 21, 2026, titled "Freedom for All: Trump to Give Britons and Europeans Tools to Bypass Online Censorship," portrays the second Trump administration as launching a bold, pro-free-speech counteroffensive against what it frames as heavy-handed government censorship in the UK and EU. Breitbart's tone is triumphant and dramatic — likening the effort to Paul Revere's midnight ride warning of "redcoats" (here, European regulators) imposing controls, while the U.S. acts as a liberator delivering digital tools to the oppressed.
Core Initiative: The Freedom.gov Portal
The centrepiece is a U.S. government-backed online portal at freedom.gov, developed primarily by the State Department under Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers (a key figure pushing Trump's "freedom" messaging in Europe). The site, already live in a teaser form, features messaging like:
"Reclaim your human right to free expression. Get ready."
An animated graphic of Paul Revere on horseback galloping above the Earth, symbolising a revolutionary alert against tyranny.
The portal aims to let users in Britain, Europe, and elsewhere access content blocked or geofenced by their own governments — often under laws justified as protecting "public safety," combating hate speech, misinformation, or terrorism. Breitbart highlights how platforms have blocked access or imposed strict age/ID verification to comply with regulations, effectively creating identity-linked internet use.
Key proposed features (based on insider sources cited via Reuters and others):
Built-in or linked Virtual Private Network (VPN) functionality, routing traffic to make it appear as if the user is in the U.S., bypassing local restrictions.
No tracking of user activity, preserving anonymity.
Access to otherwise censored material, including what some label "alleged hate speech" or "terrorist propaganda."
A State Department spokesman confirmed digital freedom as a priority, explicitly including "the proliferation of privacy and censorship-circumvention technologies like VPNs," though they denied a Europe-specific program — leaving room for interpretation.
Context and Targets
This ties directly into backlash against:
The UK's Online Safety Act (enforced post-2024 riots and child safety concerns), which has led to content blocks, platform compliance burdens, and even moves to restrict VPNs (e.g., proposed age limits or ID requirements for under-16s, criticised by groups like Big Brother Watch as a "draconian crackdown" that defeats privacy tools' purpose).
The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), seen by the Trump team as extraterritorial overreach pressuring global platforms (including U.S. ones) to censor worldwide, with threats of fines or blocks.
Breitbart frames European laws as authoritarian-lite, comparing VPN restrictions to bans in China, Iran, North Korea, or Belarus — where anonymity protects dissidents, journalists, and whistleblowers. The piece warns this could spark a "cat-and-mouse" escalation, like Cold War-era Radio Free Europe broadcasts, where users risk penalties for accessing the portal, or governments block freedom.gov outright (proving their anti-information stance), with US retaliation.
Broader Trump Admin Pushback
This fits a pattern of the administration weaponising free speech in foreign policy:
Funding grants for aligned think tanks/charities in Europe/UK to promote "free speech" (including discussions with UK's Reform party figures).
Public criticism of EU rules as threats to U.S. business and rights.
Potential diplomatic friction, as it encourages flouting local laws — unusual for allies but echoing historical U.S. support for dissent abroad.
Critics (from Reuters, Guardian, DW, etc.) note risks: straining transatlantic ties, appearing to meddle in allies' sovereignty, or ironically clashing with U.S. domestic surveillance debates. Some European voices see it as hypocritical or aimed at shielding American tech giants from regulation. Launch was reportedly delayed slightly after initial buzz.
In Breitbart's narrative, it's pure heroism: Trump extending America's First Amendment ethos globally, arming everyday Brits and Europeans against their own "censorious" elites. Whether freedom.gov fully rolls out with VPNs (or faces blocks/takedowns) remains unfolding. Hopefully even Australia will get a show.