● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact2 neutral
US government supports Elon Musk's challenge to EU's €120m fine against X
Key points
- US government seeks to join X's legal challenge against EU fine.
- EU fined X €120m for blue tick verification system in December 2025.
- US DOJ claims EU overstepped territorial jurisdiction.
- EU Commission states it has a solid case based on Digital Services Act.
- US DOJ filed application to intervene in cases brought by Musk and X.
- Cases will be heard at the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg.
- Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate made a statement.
- EU accused X of breaching regulations for transparency, data access, and blue-tick system design.
US Intervention in EU Fine Against X
The US government has formally applied to intervene in Elon Musk's legal challenge to overturn a €120m fine levied by the European Union against X. The fine, issued in December 2025, concerns X's blue tick verification system, which the European Commission claims deceives users by not meaningfully verifying account identities.
Jurisdictional Concerns Raised by US
US Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate stated that the European Commission inappropriately attempted to expand its reach to American companies outside its control. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an application with the EU's General Court, arguing that the US has a clear interest in ensuring EU decisions align with international law regarding territorial jurisdiction and do not prejudice US-headquartered digital services.
EU's Stance on the Fine
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier affirmed the Commission's readiness to defend its position in court, citing a "solid case" based on an alleged breach of its Digital Services Act. The Commission also accused X of failing to provide transparency regarding adverts and denying researchers access to public data, in addition to the blue tick issue.
Background of the EU Fine
At the time of the fine's issuance, Henna Virkkunen, the regulator's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, stated that the EU was holding X responsible for undermining users' rights and evading accountability. The Commission highlighted that deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring ad information, and blocking researchers are unacceptable practices within the EU.
Updates
- US DOJ filed application to intervene in cases brought by Musk and X.
- Cases will be heard at the EU’s General Court in Luxembourg.
- Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate made a statement.
- EU accused X of breaching regulations for transparency, data access, and blue-tick system design.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The Trump administration is seeking to join Elon Musk's appeal against a –120 million EU fine imposed on X under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This intervention escalates the ongoing transatlantic dispute regarding the EU's regulation of US tech companies.
The US government has filed an application to join Elon Musk's legal challenge against a €120m EU fine imposed on X for its blue tick verification system. The US Department of Justice argues the European Commission's actions inappropriately expand its jurisdiction over American companies, impacting US-headquartered digital services.