Elon Musk has once again caused political and diplomatic upheaval. Following the €120 million fine imposed on Friday (5/12) on platform X for violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA), the billionaire pledged there would be a “response,” not only toward the European Union but also “toward the individuals” who, he claims, made the decision, according to Politico.
“The European Union imposed this crazy fine not just on X, but also on me personally!” Musk wrote on his platform. “Therefore, it would seem appropriate for our response to target the individuals who made this decision as well.”
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
The Commission accuses X of violating transparency rules mandated by the DSA, such as converting the blue checkmark into a paid service, which it considers misleading. Additionally, the EU highlights insufficient transparency in the platform’s advertising library and failure to provide public data for research purposes.
A European official told Politico that the penalty applies to X’s entire corporate structure – X Holdings, xAI, and Musk himself.
In response, the entrepreneur labeled European regulators as “EU woke Stasi commissars,” arguing that the Union will “soon understand the true meaning of the Streisand Effect,” when an attempt to hide something ultimately leads to greater publicity.
Marco Rubio: “Attack on the American people,” says US Secretary of State
In the USA, the fine provoked strong reactions. Many high-ranking Trump administration officials accused the EU of targeting American technology.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the fine “is not just an attack on X, but on all American platforms and the American people.” Vice President JD Vance called the decision “absurd” and “an attack on free speech.”
Trump’s envoy to the EU, Andrew Puzder, denounced “excessive regulatory intervention” and assured that Washington “will challenge any measure that unfairly targets American businesses.”
Even the State Department intervened: Christopher Landau accused the EU of “seeking protection from the US while simultaneously undermining their security through an unelected and unrepresentative body.”
Brussels: “It’s not censorship, it’s transparency”
Facing criticism, the Commission remains steadfast. “The DSA has nothing to do with censorship,” said Henna Virkkunen, Commission Vice-President responsible for digital sovereignty. “The decision concerns exclusively X’s transparency.”
The case unfolds during a period of increasing tension between the EU and the Trump administration. The American president threatens new tariffs if the EU continues targeting US tech giants, making the DSA a key friction point in trade negotiations.
For the EU, the €120 million fine represents only the first step in a broader investigation of X, which will also examine content management practices. X did not respond to Politico’s requests for comment.
The clash promises to be lengthy and could develop into one of the most explosive fronts of the Trump era, with implications for technology, trade… and geopolitics.
