In this version of hands across the sea, Elon Musk and Trump administration officials are slapping back hard after the European Union decided to smack the social media platform X with a hefty fine.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, said Friday it was fining X $140 million, according to Fox Business.
It claimed X was guilty of “non-compliance with transparency obligations” under the Digital Services Act, adding that it was “holding X accountable” for the alleged “deceptive” use of X’s “blue checkmark,” a “lack of transparency of its advertising repository,” and “failure to provide access to public data for researchers.”
Musk fired back.
“The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people,” Musk posted on X. He added, “AbolishTheEU” in another post.
The “EU” imposed this crazy fine not just on @X, but also on me personally, which is even more insane!
Therefore, it would seem appropriate to apply our response not just to the EU, but also to the individuals who took this action against me. https://t.co/n2LE0eZiI7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2025
Republican Sen, Ted Cruz of Texas volleyed forth America’s anger at the fine.
“The European Commission’s $140 million fine on @X is an abomination. It’s an attack on a great American job creator & it’s an attack on the free speech of every American,” he posted on X.
“The ‘EU’ imposed this crazy fine not just on @X, but also on me personally, which is even more insane! Therefore, it would seem appropriate to apply our response not just to the EU, but also to the individuals who took this action against me,” Musk wrote in reply.
Trump administration heavy hitters lined up behind Musk.
“The European Commission’s $140 million fine isn’t just an attack on @X, it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments. The days of censoring Americans online are over,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X.
“The Digital Services Act is designed to stifle free speech and American tech companies. We have made our position clear to our counterparts in Europe,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick posted on X.
Brazil fined 𝕏, but Elon Musk refused to censor
Canada fined 𝕏, but Elon Musk refused to censor
Australia fined 𝕏, but Elon Musk refused to censor
The EU is fining 𝕏, but Elon Musk still won’t censor
PROTECT 𝕏 AND ELON MUSK AT ALL COST
— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) December 6, 2025
Thomas Regnier, spokesperson for Tech Sovereignty, Defense, Space and Research at the commission, said X’s content moderation policy has nothing to do with the fine, according to Fox Business.
“Today’s decision has nothing to do with content moderation,” Reigner said. “It’s about transparency provisions for citizens here in the European Union.”
“X’s use of the ‘blue checkmark’ for ‘verified accounts’ deceives users,” the commission said in statement.
“On X, anyone can pay to obtain the ‘verified’ status without the company meaningfully verifying who is behind the account, making it difficult for users to judge the authenticity of accounts and content they engage with. This deception exposes users to scams, including impersonation frauds, as well as other forms of manipulation by malicious actors,” it said.
“X’s advertisement repository fails to meet the transparency and accessibility requirements of the DSA. Accessible and searchable ad repositories are critical for researchers and civil society to detect scams, hybrid threat campaigns, coordinated information operations and fake advertisements,” the commission said.
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