Elon Musk escalated his conflict with European regulators on Saturday. This happened just one day after the European Union fined his platform, X, €120 million ($140 million).
The penalty is one of the strongest actions taken under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This law forces tech companies to follow strict rules on transparency, content moderation, and identity checks.
In response, Musk posted on X and demanded the breakup of the bloc. He wrote, “The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people.”
The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 6, 2025
He also argued that only national governments should control online speech. In his view, the EU is using safety laws to control political expression.
EU Flags Problems With X’s Blue Check System
Meanwhile, the European Commission focused on X’s paid verification system. The platform allows users to buy a blue check mark. However, regulators said the company is not “meaningfully verifying” identities.
As a result, fake accounts can impersonate real people. Scammers can also mislead others. Therefore, the EU warned that the system increases risks of fraud and manipulation.
The DSA, which started in August 2023, aims to limit such misleading practices. At the same time, it seeks to make big platforms more transparent and accountable.
US Officials Push Back Strongly
Soon after the fine, senior US officials responded. They accused the EU of attacking American companies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “The European Commission's fine isn't just an attack on X, it's an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments,” and added that “the days of censoring Americans online are over.”
In support, Musk reposted the message and simply wrote: “absolutely.”
More Criticism From Washington
Next, Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr also spoke out. He claimed the EU targeted X because it is successful. He said Europe is “taxing Americans to subsidise a continent held back by Europe's own suffocating regulations.”
Earlier, US Vice-President JD Vance criticised Brussels as well. He said the EU is punishing X “for not engaging in censorship.” Furthermore, he added that Europe should be “supporting free speech, not attacking American companies over garbage.”
Global Battle Over Internet Rules
As tensions rise, the conflict now goes beyond one fine. It reflects a larger fight over who controls the rules of the internet. On one side, the EU pushes for strict digital laws to protect users. On the other side, Musk and US leaders see these rules as limits on free speech and American influence.
As a result, what started as a regulatory action has now become a major geopolitical dispute.