Elon Musk has urged the dissolution of the European Union after the European Commission fined his platform X €120 million for alleged violations of the Digital Services Act. The penalty, issued on Friday, cited deceptive verification practices, weak advertising transparency and insufficient data access for researchers. Brussels framed the decision as an effort to enforce accountability standards adopted in 2022, which apply to large online platforms operating within the bloc.
Musk responded on Saturday with a series of posts portraying the EU as an overreaching regulatory system. He argued that excessive bureaucracy was undermining Europe’s competitiveness and that sovereignty should return to national governments. Musk has issued similar criticisms in the past, describing EU institutions as structurally inclined toward regulation at the expense of technological development.
Several senior US officials condemned the European penalty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled the fine an attack on American technology companies. Vice President J. D. Vance argued that X had been targeted for resisting censorship and warned that the ruling reflected a broader trend of regulatory pressure on speech platforms. US Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder added that Washington would oppose measures it views as unfairly burdensome for American firms operating overseas.
X’s compliance posture has drawn scrutiny since Musk’s 2022 acquisition, with EU regulators repeatedly pressing the company for stronger moderation systems and more transparency around commercial activity. The latest ruling signals that Brussels intends to continue enforcing the new regulatory framework despite political backlash.
European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen defended the fine, stating that deceptive verification systems, opaque advertising practices and the exclusion of researchers were incompatible with EU standards for online governance. Her remarks reflect an ongoing effort to assert the bloc’s regulatory authority even as large platforms contest the requirements.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski issued one of the most pointed reactions to Musk’s criticism. Referring to allegations that Musk performed a Nazi salute during Trump’s 2025 inauguration celebrations, Sikorski quipped that Mars would offer more permissive conditions. The comment highlights the polarization surrounding Musk’s political influence and the wider debate on free expression in digital spaces.