Billionaire lashes out at officials after social media platform X incurred €120m fine for transparency breaches
Elon Musk has escalated his war of words with Brussels, declaring that the European Union “must be abolished” after his social media platform X was hit with a €120m (£105m) penalty for transparency breaches under the bloc’s Digital Services Act.
In a series of posts published on X, the billionaire sharply criticised EU officials responsible for issuing the fine and suggested he would now challenge European governments on an individual basis.
“The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people,” he wrote, igniting a wave of political reaction across the continent.
Hours after Musk’s comments, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk responded on X with a pointed message addressed to the United States.
“Dear American friends, Europe is your closest ally, not your problem. And we have common enemies. At least that’s how it has been in the last 80 years,” he said. “We need to stick to this; this is the only reasonable strategy for our common security. Unless something has changed.”
Musk’s intervention comes at a moment of mounting tension between Washington and Brussels. On Thursday night, the Trump administration unveiled a national security strategy describing the EU as undermining “political liberty and sovereignty,” stifling free speech, and enabling uncontrolled migration.
The 33-page document also emphasised that protecting “fair treatment of US workers and businesses” would become a central pillar in America’s dealings with the bloc.The tensions have rippled into the UK as well. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has worked to maintain amicable ties with President Trump, and suggestions from some Labour MPs about reversing aspects of Brexit could potentially strain that relationship.
Meanwhile, the White House has been applying substantial pressure on EU officials to abandon their flagship case against X — proceedings brought under the EU’s new content-moderation regime, the Digital Services Act (DSA).
As speculation swirled over the impending ruling, US vice-president JD Vance criticised Brussels, saying the EU should be “supporting free speech, not attacking US companies over garbage.”
The clash between Musk and European regulators now appears to be expanding into a broader geopolitical dispute, drawing in US–EU relations, questions of sovereignty, and the global debate over the limits of online expression.
News
He gives you a gold necklace late at night, calling it a simple, thoughtful gift. By morning, you notice a small detail tucked inside—along with a short handwritten note that doesn’t quite make sense. The more you look at it, the more something feels off, and a quiet realization begins to form, slowly changing how you see that moment and everything connected to it.
You give up your seat on the bus because that is the kind of woman you have trained yourself to…
When your daughter finds herself alone at a bus terminal during Thanksgiving, you stay calm and focused. You understand more about the situation than anyone realizes. And as things begin to unfold, the moment quietly shifts, revealing a deeper story about strength, care, and the subtle ways a parent can step in and protect their child when it matters most.
The dispatcher asked your name, and for the first time that morning, you gave it the way you used to…
When your parents adjust your rent, saying it’s to help with family needs, you don’t question it. But you’ve already noticed something in the paperwork about who actually owns the home—something tied to your grandmother. As you take a closer look, a quiet realization begins to form, slowly changing how you see your living situation, your place in the family, and the details that had been overlooked over time.
The first missed call came thirty-one minutes after the movers left. The second came two minutes later. Then another. Then…
For three years, your husband chose to sleep in his mother’s room, always saying it was just a simple routine—until one quiet moment past midnight made you pause. A small detail catches your attention, and as you take a closer look, you begin to notice what had been overlooked for years, quietly revealing a deeper family story about silence, unspoken feelings, and the things people don’t always know how to explain.
You press your ear against the wood and hold your breath until your lungs start to ache. The hallway is…
At a luxury hotel, a manager hesitates to approve support for a sick housekeeper, assuming it’s just a routine situation—until her young daughter quietly shares their story with a guest in the lobby. What happens next subtly shifts the mood, offering a new perspective on care, understanding, and the unexpected ways people show up for one another.
You do not answer Esteban Valdés right away. You look past the polished watch, the expensive tie, the smile hanging…
You come home with groceries after four months away, expecting a quiet, familiar evening—but a small, unexpected detail by the wall stops you in your tracks. It sparks questions you didn’t see coming, and as you look around, something feels off. The more you take in, the more you realize your home isn’t quite how you left it, quietly revealing a situation that changes how you see everything.
You see the hand first. It hangs over the edge of your bed, limp and pale in the white slice…
End of content
No more pages to load
