'European Union should be abolished': Elon Musk escalates feud with Brussels after X slapped $140 Mn fine
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'European Union should be abolished': Elon Musk escalates feud with Brussels after X slapped $140 Mn fine")
Elon Musk Photograph: (AFP)
US Vice President JD Vance lashed out at the 27-country bloc even before the announcement, accusing it of unfair targeting of American companies through censorship.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk on Saturday (Dec 06) said that the European Union should be abolished and nations should become sovereign to ensure better representation of the people. The Tesla Ceo's remarks came amid escalating tensions with the bloc after Musk's social media platform X, slapped with a 120 million euro ($140 million) fine for breaching digital transparency laws.
"The EU should be abolished, and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people," Musk wrote on X.
In a series of posts on X, he described the fine as "crazy," "insane," and straight up "bullshit." The SpaceX CEO accused the EU regulators of targeting him personally and called for actions against the bloc and individuals behind the actions.
Why X got fined
Musk's social media platform X becomes the first entity to get fined under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA), legislation aimed at regulating social media companies. European regulators found X guilty of three violations after a two-year probe.
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Deceptive Blue Checkmarks: €45 million fine
The platform’s paid blue checkmark system, which the EU said has “deceptive design,” arguing that it blurs the line between genuine voices and scammers and exposes users to fraud. The Commission said the badge “does not meaningfully verify who is behind the account,” making authenticity harder to judge.
Flawed Ad Repository:€35 million fine
Under the DSA, platforms must maintain a searchable ad database showing buyers, targeting criteria, and spending. Regulators found X’s repository hampered by “built-in limitations, delays, and access obstacles,” restricting researchers and watchdogs from tracking hidden influence operations or scams.
Researcher data barriers: €40 million fine
X allegedly created “unnecessary barriers” that blocked academics and experts from accessing public data essential for studying systemic risks such as hate speech and election interference. The EU said this opacity undermines efforts to protect democratic processes.
Washington calls 'attack on America'
US Vice President JD Vance lashed out at the 27-country bloc even before the announcement, accusing it of unfair targeting of American companies through censorship.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubo called the penalty an attack on all US-based tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments. "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," Rubio posted on X, adding, "The days of censoring Americans online are over."
