The United States government has formally asked to join a legal challenge brought by billionaire Elon Musk against a €120 million ($136.51 million) fine imposed by the European Union on his social media platform, X.
The US Department of Justice submitted an application to the EU’s General Court in support of X’s effort to overturn the penalty.
EU technology regulators imposed the fine last year after a two-year investigation under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires major online platforms to take stronger measures against illegal and harmful content.
US Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said the European Commission had improperly attempted to extend its regulatory authority to American companies that are not operating within its jurisdiction.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised EU technology regulations, arguing that they disproportionately affect American technology companies. The European Commission, however, has said its digital laws are not aimed at any particular nationality and are intended to protect the EU’s digital and democratic standards.
Musk, who acquired Twitter, later renamed X, in 2022, has also criticised European technology regulations, saying they could hinder technological development.
Rights groups and technology experts have meanwhile raised concerns about content on X since Musk’s acquisition of the platform, including allegations of increased hate speech, misinformation and the spread of non-consensual sexually explicit material.
The legal challenge will now proceed before the EU’s General Court.
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