The past few days have certainly not been among Thierry Breton’s best. The European Commission’s Internal Market Commissioner, who oversees, among other things, the EU’s new Digital Service Act (DSA), sent a letter to Elon Musk on Sunday stating that the billionaire had a duty to censor potentially ‘harmful content’ on his X platform, in reference to Musk’s interview with former US President Donald Trump, current Republican presidential candidate.
According to Breton, although the interview with Trump took place outside the EU, the content of the live broadcast could still impact public policy within the EU, and is therefore subject to the EU’s DSA. However, events did not unfold as Breton had anticipated. First, Musk responded in his characteristic manner, posting a meme from the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder, which implied that Breton’s concerns were unwelcome. Musk wrote: ‘To be honest, I really wanted to respond with this Tropic Thunder meme, but I would NEVER do something so rude & irresponsible!’ Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, described Breton’s letter as ‘an unprecedented attempt to extend a law intended for Europe to political activities in the US.’
To be honest, I really wanted to respond with this Tropic Thunder meme, but I would NEVER do something so rude & irresponsible! https://t.co/jL0GDW5QUx pic.twitter.com/XhUxCSGFNP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2024
Subsequently, Trump’s campaign staff accused Breton of interfering in the election. Chris LaCivita, a member of Trump’s presidential campaign, posted on X: ‘The European Union is attempting to meddle in the US election... they can go to hell.’ Richard Grenell, who served as Washington’s ambassador to Germany under Trump, stated during a meeting in Vienna that Breton and the EU ‘are enemies of free speech.’
European Union is attempting to meddle in the US Election …they can go to hell https://t.co/d9ullhN0N2
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) August 12, 2024
Another twist in the story is the revelation that Breton did not consult European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before issuing the letter. Four different EU officials who spoke to POLITICO indicated that Breton’s warning to Musk had caught many within the Commission by surprise. ‘The EU is not in the business of electoral interference,’ said one of the officials. ‘The implementation of the DSA is too important to be exploited by an attention-seeking politician looking for his next big role,’ a remark apparently referencing French President Emmanuel Macron's renomination of Breton as French commissioner.
Relations between Breton and Musk have been strained for some time. In July, the French commissioner announced that the European Commission had determined that X violated the DSA and intended to impose substantial fines on Musk’s company if it did not comply with restrictions on ‘hate speech and misinformation.’ The EU contends that X lacks transparency and mandates that social media platforms address ‘illegal content’ and ‘risks to public safety.’ Additionally, the EU expressed dissatisfaction with X’s control systems, stating that they were ‘not in line with industry standards.’ Among other criticisms, Brussels has also pointed to the blue verification ticks, which can be purchased, undermining the authentication of accounts.
In response, Elon Musk claimed that the European Union had attempted to strike a secret deal with him to enforce EU-driven censorship. Breton swiftly denied the existence of any such agreement, but Musk countered by stating that he anticipated ‘a public court battle so that the people of Europe can know the truth.’
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