Washington has sharply criticised the European Union after Brussels fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X €120 million ($140 million) for violating the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), calling the move an assault on American companies and citizens.
The European Commission announced the penalty on Friday, marking the first official ruling of non-compliance under the DSA’s new content-moderation and transparency regime.
EU regulators said X breached multiple obligations, including using a misleading blue-check system that exposes users to scams, failing to provide transparency in its advertising library, and withholding required data access for independent researchers.
The fine adds to a growing list of EU actions targeting US tech giants, including multibillion-euro penalties against Google, Apple, and Meta.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the ruling on X, arguing it represented “an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.” He insisted that “the days of censoring Americans online are over.”
Elon Musk amplified criticism by reposting comments from US telecom regulator Brendan Carr, who accused the EU of targeting X because it is a “successful” American firm and said Europe’s regulatory model was “taxing Americans to subsidize” its own stagnation.
US Vice President JD Vance also accused Brussels of punishing X “for not engaging in censorship,” insisting Europe should defend free speech rather than “attack American companies over garbage.”
The Trump administration has consistently opposed Europe’s digital rules, claiming they intentionally disadvantage US firms and warning of potential retaliatory tariffs.
Brussels maintains the rules apply to all companies operating in the EU and reflect Europe’s stricter stance on privacy, competition, and online safety.
Image credit: Fachrizal Maulana
