The European Union just made a massive mistake—and Elon Musk is laughing all the way to the top of the app store charts. In a stunning act of censorship masquerading as regulation, the EU slapped a $140 million fine on X, the free speech platform Musk bought and turned into a global force for open dialogue. But instead of folding under pressure, X exploded in popularity across Europe. That’s what happens when you try to silence the truth—people get louder.
As a veteran, I’ve fought to protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. One of those freedoms is the right to speak your mind, even if it upsets the elites. That’s why what the EU is doing is so dangerous. They’re trying to control the narrative by using unelected bureaucrats to punish platforms that don’t play along with their globalist agenda. This isn’t just about one tech company. It’s about who gets to decide what you can say, what you can read, and what you can share.
Let’s break down what’s really going on here. The EU claims that X violated something called the Digital Services Act. They don’t like that X lets users pay for verification through a blue checkmark, and they’re mad that X limits access to its internal data. But don’t be fooled—that’s just the cover story. What they actually hate is that Elon Musk won’t let them control the flow of information on his platform. Musk pulled the plug on censorship when he took over X, and ever since, it’s been a thorn in the side of every bureaucrat from Brussels to Berlin.
Now they’re trying to punish him for it. But here’s the twist—they just made X more popular than ever. After the fine was announced, downloads of the app skyrocketed. Musk posted that X is now number one in every EU country. That’s not just a win for him—it’s a win for freedom. Regular people in Europe are waking up to what’s happening. They’re tired of being told what to think and what to say.
And it’s not just Musk who’s pushing back. The Trump administration is standing strong too. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it what it is—an attack on American companies and American values. Vice President JD Vance said the EU should be encouraging free speech, not punishing it. They’re right. We didn’t fight wars to let some pencil-pushers in Brussels tell Americans how to run their businesses or what they can say online.
Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, nailed it in his response. He pointed out that the EU commission exploited a glitch in the X ad system to spread their anti-speech message. That’s not just hypocritical—it’s cowardly. They used the very tools they claim to hate to boost their propaganda, then got mad when they got called out. X shut down their ad account, and good on them for doing it.
This is what fighting back looks like. Elon Musk didn’t fold. He didn’t apologize. He didn’t beg for forgiveness from bureaucrats who’ve never built a thing in their lives. He stood his ground, and the people stood with him. That’s the American way.
We need to take that same energy and apply it everywhere. The days of letting foreign governments bully American companies are over. The days of letting unelected officials decide what’s “acceptable speech” are over. Free speech is a right, not a privilege. And if the EU or anyone else wants to come after that, they’re going to find millions of people ready to stand in their way.
Let this be a lesson—when you fight for liberty, the people will follow. And no amount of fines or threats can stop the truth from getting out.
