EU Warns Elon Musk Before Live Interview with Donald Trump on X: "Moderation Applies to All, Including Yourself

European Commissioner for Digital Affairs, Thierry Breton, has issued a stern warning to Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), ahead of his live interview with Donald Trump. In a letter sent on August 12, Breton reminds Musk of his obligations regarding moderation on the social media platform to prevent the "amplification of harmful content."

In the letter, Thierry Breton emphasizes that the moderation rules imposed by the European Digital Services Act (DSA) must be followed by all users of X, including Musk himself. In response, Musk posted a sarcastic meme on X from the movie "Tropic Thunder," suggesting he would never engage in such conduct, although the tone of his message appears ironic.

The billionaire, who acquired X in 2022 and has over 193 million followers, is known for his controversial comments, particularly against American Democrats. His interview with Donald Trump, whom he publicly supports, will be broadcast live on X, and Thierry Breton reminds that this exchange will also be accessible to users in the EU.

Breton points out that his services will be extremely vigilant regarding potential violations of the DSA and will not hesitate to take temporary measures if necessary to protect European citizens. Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, has reacted by calling this move an unprecedented attempt to extend European legislation to American political activities.

Former Republican President Donald Trump has also taken the opportunity to resume posting on X after a long absence, except for a post in August 2023 regarding his judicial photo.

The DSA requires online platforms to implement reporting systems for problematic content and to act swiftly to remove illegal content. After Musk's acquisition of Twitter, a massive wave of layoffs significantly reduced the platform's moderation teams.

In December, the European Commission opened a formal investigation into X, suspecting the platform of failing to meet its obligations in combating disinformation. Thierry Breton had visited San Francisco in spring 2023 to discuss European rules with Musk, but relations have deteriorated over time, with frequent tense exchanges between the two parties.

In July, Musk accused Brussels of attempting to negotiate a "secret deal" to censor content, an accusation that Thierry Breton firmly denied, asserting there had been no "secret deal" and suggesting that legal action could follow.