'Enemy of free speech!' EU accused of 'silencing Americans' after Brussels bureaucrat 'threatened' Elon Musk

EU accused of 'silencing Americans' after Brussels bureaucrat 'threatened' Elon Musk

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Jack Walters

By Jack Walters


Published: 18/08/2024

- 16:01

Elon Musk hosted Donald Trump for an interview on X last week

The European Union has been accused of “silencing Americans” after a top Brussels bureaucrat “threatened” Elon Musk in a fresh free speech row.

Jim Jordan, who heads up the House Oversight Committee, penned an explosive letter to the Brussels bloc after Thierry Breton appeared to suggest introducing stricter measures against Elon Musk.


Breton shared his own letter with Musk urging the X owner against “hateful content” ahead of a broadcast conversation with former President Donald Trump.

The letter cited EU legislation which makes the owners of social media giants potentially liable for billions in fines.

 EU accused of 'silencing Americans' after Brussels bureaucrat 'threatened' Elon Musk EU accused of 'silencing Americans' after Brussels bureaucrat 'threatened' Elon MuskGETTY

However, Jordan accused Breton of looking to “silence” conservatives in the US.

He wrote: “In light of your recent threats of reprisal toward X Corp, an American company, for facilitating political discourse in the US, we write to demand that you stop any attempt to intimidate individuals or entities engaged in political speech in the United States and you take no action to otherwise interfere in the American democratic process.”

Breton’s decision to come after Musk comes after the Tesla CEO found himself involved in a spat with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the recent riots seen in England and Northern Ireland.

However, the EU distanced itself from the EU Commissioner and instead claimed he had not been authorised to take a swipe at Musk.

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Responding to the move, Musk said: “I really wanted to respond with this Tropic Thunder meme… But I would NEVER do something so rude and irresponsible!”

The Trump campaign also weighed in on the row ahead of polls opening on November 5.

“The European Union should mind their own business instead of trying to meddle in the US Presidential election,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said.

“Let us be very clear — the European Union is an enemy of free speech and has no authority of any kind to dictate how we campaign.”

Jim Jordan (R-OH) questions United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee

Jim Jordan (R-OH) questions United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee

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Jordan is also holding US leaders responsible and slapped the State Department with subpoenas to learn about the Administration’s communication with the EU about this matter.

“The silence from the pro-censorship Biden-Harris Administration is deafening—you would think censorship of American speech by foreign governments would be a step too far even for them,” Jordan’s spokesman told The Post.

The US Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government launched its own investigation into the “extent the Executive Branch has coerced or colluded with companies and other intermediaries to censor lawful speech” last year.

A subcommittee report said: “In furtherance of our oversight, the Select Subcommittee has examined how other governments, including the European Union (EU), have sought to censor speech online.”

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