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Also see "French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found" (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/trump-musk-french-scie

Also see "French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found" (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/trump-musk-french-scientist-detained https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/trump-musk-f...).

yapyap 1y ago
> 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 So they check all your messages at the border? Do they dump your entire phone or what is happening there?
- pastage 1y ago
  This has been happening since before 9/11 how much I do not know. I never travel with digital gear to the US. I do not work in any secret capacity but my employer prohibits me from brining any work equipment through the border to the US.
  - leereeves 1y ago
    It happens in other countries too. I've been required to unlock my devices when entering Canada and Europe.
trhway 1y ago
> ...messages discussing the Trump administration’s treatment of scientists had been found. The researcher was reportedly then accused of writings “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism”. Everything that doesn't fit official government line is an extremism and terrorism. It has been that way in Russia and other authoritarian countries. Looks like that is getting imported into US, and without any tariffs at that. I'm perplexed though why does the US population want it (i live in CA, and that doesn't help understanding the whole US population), especially giving that any of those authoritarian countries is also orders of magnitude worse than US economy-wise (even the economy poster-child China has per capita GDP just 1/7th of that of US).
- foobarbecue 1y ago
  > why does the US population want it The same reason the school bully and his entourage wants see your lunch thrown on the ground. It's jealousy, it's tribalism, it's establishment of a power hierarchy. It's evil. Our country has been taken over by a cult of cruelty and othering.
anonfordays 1y ago
That was fake news: "The French researcher in question was in possession of confidential information on his electronic device from Los Alamos National Laboratory— in violation of a non-disclosure agreement—something he admitted to taking without permission and attempted to conceal. Any claim that his removal was based on political beliefs is blatantly false." https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/03/20/french-researcher-denied-access-us/ https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/03/20/french-researcher-den...
- leereeves 1y ago
  I wonder how many of the media sources who reported the original story will also report the correction with equal coverage.
  - anonfordays 1y ago
    This story has basically evaporated from the public after the correction came out. That should tell you everything you need to know.
- ayhanfuat 1y ago
  It is hard to believe a French researcher, traveling from France to the US, was in possession of confidential information he retrieved from a US national lab. It is harder to believe they didn't arrest him for this.
  - anonfordays 1y ago
    >It is hard to believe a French researcher, traveling from France to the US, was in possession of confidential information he retrieved from a US national lab. Not at all, it's much more believable than the original story. Traveling scientists frequently work at national labs. >It is harder to believe they didn't arrest him for this. Nondisclosure agreements are civil in nature, not criminal.
    - jpambrun 1y ago

yapyap 1y ago

> 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 So they check all your messages at the border? Do they dump your entire phone or what is happening there?

pastage 1y ago
This has been happening since before 9/11 how much I do not know. I never travel with digital gear to the US. I do not work in any secret capacity but my employer prohibits me from brining any work equipment through the border to the US.
- leereeves 1y ago
  It happens in other countries too. I've been required to unlock my devices when entering Canada and Europe.

trhway 1y ago

> ...messages discussing the Trump administration’s treatment of scientists had been found. The researcher was reportedly then accused of writings “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism”. Everything that doesn't fit official government line is an extremism and terrorism. It has been that way in Russia and other authoritarian countries. Looks like that is getting imported into US, and without any tariffs at that. I'm perplexed though why does the US population want it (i live in CA, and that doesn't help understanding the whole US population), especially giving that any of those authoritarian countries is also orders of magnitude worse than US economy-wise (even the economy poster-child China has per capita GDP just 1/7th of that of US).

foobarbecue 1y ago
> why does the US population want it The same reason the school bully and his entourage wants see your lunch thrown on the ground. It's jealousy, it's tribalism, it's establishment of a power hierarchy. It's evil. Our country has been taken over by a cult of cruelty and othering.

anonfordays 1y ago

That was fake news: "The French researcher in question was in possession of confidential information on his electronic device from Los Alamos National Laboratory— in violation of a non-disclosure agreement—something he admitted to taking without permission and attempted to conceal. Any claim that his removal was based on political beliefs is blatantly false." https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/03/20/french-researcher-denied-access-us/ https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/03/20/french-researcher-den...

leereeves 1y ago
I wonder how many of the media sources who reported the original story will also report the correction with equal coverage.
- anonfordays 1y ago
  This story has basically evaporated from the public after the correction came out. That should tell you everything you need to know.
ayhanfuat 1y ago
It is hard to believe a French researcher, traveling from France to the US, was in possession of confidential information he retrieved from a US national lab. It is harder to believe they didn't arrest him for this.
- anonfordays 1y ago
  >It is hard to believe a French researcher, traveling from France to the US, was in possession of confidential information he retrieved from a US national lab. Not at all, it's much more believable than the original story. Traveling scientists frequently work at national labs. >It is harder to believe they didn't arrest him for this. Nondisclosure agreements are civil in nature, not criminal.
  - jpambrun 1y ago