French scientist denied entry to US after officials find ‘hateful’ texts about Donald Trump on his phone

The French government said a scientist was refused entry to the U.S. this month after airport immigration officers found messages on his phone criticizing the Trump administration while defending the researcher’s “freedom of expression.”

Philippe Baptiste, France’s higher education and research minister, said he “learned with concern” that a French researcher who had traveled to the US on assignment for the National Ventre for Scientific Research “was denied entry to the United States before being expelled” in a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported in Le Monde.

“This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher’s phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration’s research policy,” he added.

A diplomatic source told AFP that the incident occurred on March 9, after the space researcher had traveled to Texas for a conference near Houston.

On arrival, the researcher was subjected to a random check, including a search of his work computer and personal phone. The source told AFP that the officers had found messages discussing the Trump administration’s treatment of scientists.

The researcher was reportedly accused of writing messages “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism,” and his equipment was confiscated before he was put on a plane back to Europe the following day.

Baptiste defended the researcher’s right to hold a personal opinion.

“Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values ​​that we will continue to proudly uphold. I will defend the right of all French researchers to be faithful to them while respecting the law,” he told AFP.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Le Monde that the US has sovereign decisions on who can enter its country. However, the ministry added that it “deplores the situation” and that the French government was committed to “academic and scientific cooperation” and emphasized its “desire to promote freedom of expression.”

Since taking office in January, Donald Trump has enacted sweeping changes to scientific research funding.

According to documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, the US Environmental Protection Agency will fire more than 1,00 researchers, including chemists, biologists, and toxicologists, as part of the widespread “reduction of force” layoffs planned by the Trump Administration.

Last month, the National Institutes of Health said it would cut grants for “indirect costs,” including buildings and equipment, to save $4 billion, the BBC reported. Many universities and hospitals have said they might need to reduce medical or scientific research to fill the funding gaps.

Scientists have held major rallies in protest of the mass layoffs and research funding cuts, with the director of the Center for Science, Sustainability, & the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr Michael E. Mann, telling The Independent: “If ever there were a time to ‘stand up for science,’ it is now,”