Musk Slams EU Fine As 'Bulls--t', Demands EU Be Abolished Over 'Deceptive' Rule

Elon Musk is embroiled in a fierce standoff with the European Union after Brussels fined X £105 million ($140 million) for alleged violations of the Digital Services Act.

The ruling, issued after a two-year investigation, accused the platform of breaching transparency and design rules.

Musk responded within minutes, calling the penalty 'bulls---' and accusing the European Commission of using a deceptive rule to punish X.

He escalated the dispute hours later and demanded the abolition of the EU. His statements spread across X, prompting swift reactions from US officials.

The confrontation intensified when X took action against an official EU account. The standoff widened fast and raised questions about platform governance, free speech, and cross-border regulation.

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Elon Musk Calls EU Fine 'Bull--t'

Musk used the word 'bulls---' in direct response to the Commission's announcement. The EU fined X £105 million after a two-year investigation under the Digital Services Act. The probe focused on platform transparency and user protections.

The Commission said X breached three areas of the law. Officials cited a deceptive blue checkmark design. They criticised a lack of transparency in advertising. They added that researchers did not receive proper access to public data.

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said the ruling held X responsible for undermining user rights and evading accountability.

'EU Should Be Abolished'

Musk escalated his remarks the next day. He wrote that the European Union should be abolished. He claimed sovereignty must return to individual countries. The billionaire argued that national governments could represent their people better without EU oversight.

Musk framed the fine as political pressure. He said EU regulators overreached and interfered with democratic processes. He insisted X was targeted for resisting regulatory demands.

The tech executive further stated that the bloc's system harmed innovation and distorted fair competition. His posts gained high engagement on the platform.

US Officials Slam EU

Several US officials criticised the European Union after the ruling. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the decision. Rubio said the fine was an attack on American platforms and the American people. He said the days of censoring Americans online were over. Musk reposted Rubio's remarks and agreed.

US Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder also weighed in. Puzder said the massive fine showed regulatory overreach. He argued the EU targeted American innovation. He said the US opposed censorship and burdensome rules imposed abroad.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr added more criticism. Carr said Europe was taxing Americans to subsidise a continent held back by regulation. He stated that X was singled out because it succeeded globally.

US Vice President JD Vance also reacted. Vance said the EU punished X for not engaging in censorship. He called the fine politically driven.

X Takes Down EU's Ad Account

X responded directly after the penalty. The platform removed the European Commission's advertising account. The action came within one day of the ruling.

Nikita Bier, X's Head of Product, explained the move. Bier said the Commission used a dormant ad account to exploit the platform's Ad Composer.

He said the Commission posted a link that looked like a video and artificially boosted reach. Bier added that the exploit had never been abused like that before. The issue was later patched.

The European Commission said the hefty fine was the first under the Digital Services Act. X must now submit a remediation plan within 60 days and produce transparency updates within 90 days. The Commission warned that failure to comply could lead to further penalties.