In a forceful move, Representative Jim Jordan sent a letter last week to Thierry Breton, the European Union's Commissioner for the Internal Market, denouncing Breton's threats against Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Jordan’s letter comes in response to Breton’s warning that Musk could face legal consequences if he fails to censor an interview with former U.S. President Donald Trump on the platform. Jordan, representing the GOP, condemned these threats as an unacceptable intrusion into the political discourse of the United States.
"Given your recent punitive actions against the American company X Corp. for facilitating political discussions in the United States, we demand in writing that you cease any attempts to intimidate individuals or organizations engaged in political speech within the U.S.," Jordan wrote on behalf of the House Judiciary Committee.
The letter accuses the EU of attempting to "censor prominent Americans like Elon Musk," and it further threatens an investigation should the EU continue to meddle. According to the New York Post, Jordan has also subpoenaed the U.S. State Department for documents related to its communications with the EU, which could shed light on potential online censorship efforts.
The EU's demands for censorship have sparked outrage among conservatives in both the U.S. and the EU, with many accusing Brussels of trying to undermine Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Trump himself speculated that the EU's actions might be driven by opposition to his isolationist trade policies. "The European Union should focus on its own affairs instead of attempting to interfere in U.S. presidential elections," said Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign.
Cheung further criticized the EU, stating, "The European Union is an enemy of free speech and has no authority to dictate how we conduct our elections."