PARIS, France: A French scientist was denied entry to the United States and deported after immigration officials found text messages on his phone that were critical of US President Donald Trump.
The messages were reportedly deemed as “hateful” and potentially linked to “terrorism” by US authorities, according to a report by the French newspaper Le Monde.
The researcher, whose identity has not been disclosed, was travelling to a scientific conference in Houston, Texas, on 9 March when he was subjected to a random search by immigration officers.
French newspaper Le Monde, citing diplomatic sources, reported that officials examined his personal phone and work computer, discovering messages that criticised the Trump administration’s approach to scientific research.
One diplomatic source, cited by AFP, claimed that US officials rebuked the scientist for messages “which conveyed a hatred toward Trump and could be considered to be terrorism.”
Another source quoted by AFP said that the messages were labelled as “hateful and conspiratorial” by American authorities.
The Telegraph reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched an inquiry into the researcher, but the charges were later dropped.
The scientist was detained overnight before being deported to Europe the following day. His personal and professional equipment was confiscated by US authorities, AFP reported.
France condemns deportation
The French Minister for Higher Education and Research, Philippe Baptiste, strongly criticised the decision to expel the researcher.
In a statement, he said, “I learned with concern that a French researcher, who was travelling to a conference near Houston, was denied entry to the United States before being deported. This action was taken by the American authorities because the researcher’s telephone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion about the Trump administration’s policy on research.”
Baptiste further reaffirmed France’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression, saying, “Freedom of speech, independent research, and academic freedom are values that we will continue to stand for resolutely.”
France’s foreign ministry also condemned the incident, while acknowledging that decisions regarding the entry of foreign nationals fall within US sovereignty.
Scientific community reacts
The deportation comes amid wider concerns over cuts to scientific research funding in the United States. Since Trump’s return to the White House, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has implemented severe budget reductions affecting universities and research institutions.
Critics argue that these measures could significantly undermine scientific progress and limit opportunities for future researchers.
Baptiste has been vocal in his criticism of these cuts. On the same day that the scientist was denied entry, the French minister published an open letter inviting American researchers to relocate to France, saying, “Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States. We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them.”
The following day, Baptiste shared a photograph of a virtual meeting with a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who had accepted an offer from Aix-Marseille University to move to France.
On 12 March, he appeared on French television, criticising what he described as the “chainsawing” of research funding in the US across key fields such as health, climate, energy, and artificial intelligence.
