Europe strikes: Elon Musk’s X faces billion-dollar EU fine for breaking disinformation laws as tensions mount with Donald Trump and Brussels

In a stern message to President Donald Trump's billionaire adviser Elon Musk, European Union regulators were set to slap major penalties against Tesla boss' social media platform X for breaking a landmark law to combat illicit content and disinformation, as per a report.

The move could potentially ratchet up tensions with the United States even as European authorities have been weighing how large a fine to issue 'X' as they consider the risks of further antagonizing Trump amid wider trans-Atlantic disputes over trade, tariffs.

The penalties are set to include a fine and demands for product changes, said the people, who declined to be identified discussing an ongoing investigation. These are expected to be announced this summer and will be the first issued under a new EU law intended to force social media companies to police their services, NYT News Service reported.


The fine could surpass $1 billion, one person said, as regulators seek to make an example of X to deter other companies from violating the law, called the Digital Services Act, as per the report.

EU officials said their investigation into X was progressing independently from tariff negotiations after Trump announced major new levies this week. The investigation began in 2023 and regulators last year issued a preliminary ruling that X had violated the law.

The EU and X could still reach a settlement if the company agrees to changes that satisfy regulators' concerns, the officials said.

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