Topic: Cecilia Malmstrom

President Donald Trump's proposed metal import tariffs have prompted the European Union and Japan to seek exemptions to avoid a global trade war. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom indicated that the bloc might retaliate with 25% tariffs on American exports including Kentucky bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Belgian importers express concern that these measures could return trade relations to a 1950s-era protectionist state.

European Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is promoting a plan to introduce a Europe-wide website blocking system, colloquially dubbed the "Cleanternet." While officially aimed at combating child pornography, critics fear the infrastructure will be used for broader political censorship. The hosts link this to a global trend of governments attempting to regulate and "clean up" the internet's echo chambers.