Elon Musk Calls for Dismantling EU After €120 Million Fine Hits "X" Platform

In a fiery response to a major regulatory blow from Brussels, billionaire Elon Musk has called for the dissolution of the European Union, saying power must be returned to individual nations to “better represent their people.”

The comments came shortly after the European Commission imposed a €120 million fine on Musk’s social media platform X, formerly Twitter, over violations of the EU’s sweeping new Digital Services Act (DSA).

The penalty pits the EU directly against Musk, and potentially against U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has criticized European tech regulations.

The Commission’s investigation, conducted over two years, found multiple breaches of the EU’s digital rules, particularly involving X’s verification system, transparency obligations, and access to public data for researchers. 

The fine was divided into three components, including €45 million for misleading “blue check” verification that can be purchased, a system the EU says confuses users about account authenticity, €35 million for failures related to advertising transparency, and €40 million for blocking researchers’ access to publicly available data essential for monitoring political content and harmful activity.

Under the DSA, tech companies must maintain a public list of advertisers to protect users from fraud, fake promotions, and organized influence campaigns, especially during election periods.

Hanna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s Vice-President responsible for tech regulation, said X’s conduct represents a clear threat to user rights.

“With this first non-compliance decision under the Digital Services Act, we are holding X accountable for undermining user rights, misleading people with blue checks, hiding advertising information, and blocking researchers. There is no place for such behavior on the EU’s online space,” she said.

The decision marks the first enforcement action against a major platform since the EU’s new digital regulations came into effect in 2023.

Musk responded sharply on his X account, saying: “The European Union should be dismantled and sovereignty returned to individual countries so governments can better represent their people.”

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance publicly criticized the EU’s approach, arguing that Europe should support free speech rather than “attack American companies.” Musk replied, “I deeply appreciate that.”

Before Musk’s takeover, the blue verification badge was reserved for verified public figures, politicians, celebrities, government agencies, and accredited journalists.

After the acquisition, the badge became available to X Premium subscribers, effectively merging identity verification with paid membership, a move critics say creates confusion and opens the door to impersonation.

X now has 90 days to submit a compliance plan addressing the violations and may later file a legal appeal.

Meanwhile, the European Commission continues to pursue three additional investigations into X’s content moderation practices, algorithmic amplification, and handling of illegal material, particularly content linked to extremism, incitement, and violent activity.

The showdown between Musk and the EU is expected to intensify as Brussels asserts its regulatory authority and the platform fights back under Musk’s controversial free-speech-first approach.