Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk commented on the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions on five European officials, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, a long-time critic who previously clashed with Musk over content regulation.
“Tyranny Breton gets his dessert,” Musk posted on X, responding to reports of the U.S. travel bans.
During his tenure as EU Commissioner, Thierry Breton called on Musk to enforce the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which sets EU-wide rules for online intermediaries such as social media platforms, marketplaces, and app stores, regarding online content moderation and platform responsibilities.
EU Response
The European Commission has condemned the U.S. decision. “Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States,” the Commission stated.
The Commission emphasized on its sovereign right to regulate economic activity and said EU digital rules ensure a safe and fair environment for all companies.
It has also requested clarifications from U.S. authorities and vowed to respond decisively to defend its regulatory autonomy.
EU Council President Antonio Costa criticized the measures, calling them “unacceptable between allies, partners, and friends.”
State Department Action
The travel restrictions were supported by U.S. officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing concerns that foreign entities were allegedly restricting American free speech.
On Wednesday, in response, Breton defended EU digital regulations, noting that 90% of the European Parliament and all 27 member states unanimously voted for the Digital Services Act.
“Censorship isn’t where you think it is,” Breton posted on X, calling the U.S. sanctions a “witch hunt.”
The other four officials subject to the U.S. travel restrictions are Imran Ahmed of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index, and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of HateAid.
In early December, the EU imposed a €120 million ($140 million) penalty on Elon Musk’s X platform for breaching the bloc’s online content rules.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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