U.S. seeks to join X’s challenge to €120 million EU fine

The U.S. government has asked to intervene in Elon Musk and X’s legal challenge to a €120 million European Union fine, while the EU said Friday it would continue pursuing the penalty.

The U.S. Justice Department, acting after consultation with the State Department, filed an application with the EU’s General Court to join the cases brought by Musk and X. The Luxembourg-based court will decide whether the United States may participate.

Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate accused the European Commission of improperly extending its regulatory authority to American companies and said the United States would not tolerate efforts to control American “engines of innovation and economic growth.” The Justice Department said the case could affect other U.S.-based technology companies covered by the EU’s Digital Services Act.

The European Commission imposed the fine in December 2025, its first penalty under the DSA. It found that X’s paid blue checkmarks could deceive users by appearing to denote verified accounts, that its advertising repository failed transparency requirements, and that the company did not provide researchers adequate access to public platform data.

Musk and X appealed in February, arguing that the EU investigation was inadequate, that the DSA had been misinterpreted and that their defense rights were not respected. Separately, the Commission accepted proposals from X in July to address some concerns, including clarifying that blue checkmarks signify premium status and improving data access. The appeal against the original fine remains pending.