Uncle Sam wants in on Musk's €120M fight with Brussels

The United States government is seeking to join a legal battle launched by Elon Musk and X against a €120 million fine imposed by the European Commission on the social media platform. The Commission established the fine in December 2025, alleging that X had violated transparency rules through its paid blue checkmarks, advertising repository, and restrictions on researcher access to public data.

Musk dismissed the decision as "crazy" and "insane," likening the Commission to "Stasi commissars." FCC Chair Brendan Carr accused Europe of fining a successful US tech company for simply being successful. US politicians, including Senator Ted Cruz, have rallied behind Musk, calling the fine an attack on American free speech. The Justice Department has applied to intervene in the cases, arguing that the Commission overstepped its jurisdiction by attempting to regulate American companies outside its borders.

The DoJ contends that the Commission's decision conflicts with principles of extraterritorial jurisdiction and that it improperly linked Musk personally to the penalties. The US government is concerned that allowing the Commission's approach could have damaging effects on American digital platforms in the EU.