Washington is firing back. Just hours after the European Union fined Elon Musk’s X €120 million ($140 million) for violating the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), top U.S. leaders blasted the move as an assault on American values — and on America itself.

The ruling marks the EU’s first-ever noncompliance judgment under the DSA, a landmark law meant to make digital platforms more transparent and accountable. But in Washington, the decision landed like a political grenade.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn’t hesitate. Posting on X, he called the fine:

“An attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.”

Elon Musk responded with a simple agreement, amplifying the message to his 100+ million followers.

Vice President JD Vance went further, accusing the EU of punishing X “for not engaging in censorship.”

The White House has not yet issued a formal statement, but senior officials within the Trump administration have privately described the EU’s move as “hostile” and “politically motivated.”

Brussels insists the ruling has nothing to do with censorship — and everything to do with consumer protection and platform responsibility.

EU spokesperson Thomas Regnier pushed back sharply:

“We are not targeting any company or any country. This is a democratic process enforcing the law.”

Regulators say X broke transparency obligations in three key areas:

The EU argues that X’s subscription badges — available to anyone who pays $8 a month — mislead users into believing accounts are authentically verified.

Before Musk bought Twitter, blue checkmarks identified public figures and vetted institutions. After his 2022 takeover, the meaning of the badge changed entirely. Brussels says this shift creates “deceptive design practices” that make users more vulnerable to impersonation and scams.

Under the DSA, platforms must openly disclose political and commercial ads. The Commission says X’s ad database suffers from:

These flaws, they argue, obstruct researchers trying to track influence campaigns and prevent fake ads from spreading.

Investigators say X erects “unnecessary barriers” that make it difficult for academics and watchdog groups to analyze how information flows across the platform.

The company did not answer the Commission’s email request for comment — though Musk has long argued that European-style moderation rules threaten free speech.

The fine underscores a widening philosophical divide between Washington and Brussels.

This latest clash arrives as both blocs navigate disagreements over AI governance, data privacy, and platform liability.

More DSA rulings are expected this year against other major platforms, including Meta, TikTok, and Google.

For now, the X case is the loudest flashpoint — not only for its political drama, but for what it represents:A deepening rift over who gets to shape the rules of the internet.

As Washington and Brussels trade accusations, the global digital landscape sits at a crossroads — torn between competing visions of free expression, corporate power, and public accountability.