Trump Administration Moves To Challenge Global Data Sovereignty Efforts

The administration of Donald Trump has instructed U.S. diplomats to lobby against foreign laws that regulate how American technology firms handle data, according to a State Department cable dated February 18, 2026.

The cable was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and describes certain data localisation measures as barriers to cross-border data flows and artificial intelligence (AI) services. The directive asks diplomats to track and respond to proposals that restrict data transfers or require local data storage. It cites the European Union’s 2018 General Data Protection Regulation as an example of rules affecting data processing and transfers.

The cable also references the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules Forum, created in 2022 by the United States and partner countries to support cross-border data flows. The State Department said the United States supports data flows that protect privacy and free expression.