US Moves To Back Elon Musk In Legal Fight Over €120m EU Fine

The United States government has entered Elon Musk and X’s legal battle against the European Union, asking an EU court to allow it to intervene in their challenges to a €120 million fine imposed on the platform.

The US Department of Justice filed its application on Thursday, September 24, before the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg.

The move supports separate cases brought by X Internet and X Holdings, and Musk, seeking to annul the European Commission’s December 2025 decision.

The Commission fined X €120 million under the Digital Services Act after finding breaches involving the platform’s blue checkmark system, advertising transparency and researchers’ access to public data. 

Washington Challenges EU’s Reach

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the European Commission had “inappropriately attempted to expand its regulatory authority” to American companies outside its jurisdiction.

According to the DOJ, Washington wants the court to consider whether the Commission’s approach is consistent with international principles governing territorial jurisdiction and whether it could affect other US-based digital services companies operating in Europe. 

The US government said it has an interest in the outcome because the ruling could have wider implications for American technology companies subject to EU digital regulations.

Dispute Centres On X’s Blue Checkmarks

The European Commission said in December that X’s paid blue checkmark system could mislead users because accounts could obtain verified status without meaningful verification of the person behind them. It also cited shortcomings in X’s advertising repository and restrictions on researchers accessing public data. 

The US intervention adds another layer to the long-running disagreement between Washington and Brussels over how European digital rules should apply to American technology companies.

The European Commission has not yet responded publicly to the US application.