Conflicting accounts have emerged between Washington and Paris regarding the recent denial of entry to a French researcher in the United States, marking another instance of immigration-related tensions under the Trump administration.

On Thursday, France claimed that the researcher—whose identity remains undisclosed—was denied entry earlier this month after US authorities discovered messages about former President Donald Trump on his phone. However, US officials refuted this assertion, stating that the individual was in possession of "confidential information" on an electronic device.

French Minister of Higher Education and Research Philippe Baptiste stated that the researcher was en route to a conference near Houston on March 9 when US authorities found private exchanges on his phone, where he had expressed personal views on the Trump administration’s research policies. The researcher was subsequently refused entry and expelled from the country.

The French ministry confirmed that the individual specialized in space research and reiterated the incident’s occurrence on March 9. Baptiste emphasized France's commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression, stating, “We will continue to uphold these values and defend the rights of French researchers to express their opinions while respecting the law.”

However, US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin firmly denied claims that the decision was politically motivated. According to her statement, the researcher was found in possession of confidential data from Los Alamos National Laboratory, which he had taken without authorization and attempted to conceal—an action that violated a non-disclosure agreement.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) declined to comment on specific cases but stated that all individuals entering the US undergo case-by-case inspections. Hilton Beckham, CBP Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs, added that if sensitive material is discovered on an electronic device during screening, further investigation may follow. He dismissed allegations of political bias as "completely unfounded."

The incident adds to ongoing concerns about the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies, which have led to deportations and legal actions against individuals linked to US academic institutions, raising fears over the protection of free speech and academic freedom.