Elon Musk's X blocks European Commission ad account after EU fine
Illustrative photo: Elon Musk's social media platform strikes back at European Commission over fine (Getty Images)
Social media platform X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, blocked the European Commission's advertising account, citing alleged violations. The move came shortly after the EU imposed a fine on the platform, reports Politico.
The European Commission account was blocked just days after Musk's platform was hit with a multimillion-euro fine, according to Nikita Bier, X's head of product.
"Your ad account has been terminated," Bier wrote.
He claimed that the European Commission had allegedly tried to exploit a vulnerability in X's ad editor. Bier said the EU had published a link that misled users to artificially increase reach.
"The irony of your announcement… X believes everyone should have an equal voice on our platform. However, it seems you believe that the rules should not apply to your account," he added.
Bier provided no evidence to support these claims. He has a controversial reputation, including prior posts supporting Islamic terrorists and blocking users who criticized him or his actions. The blocked account was not the EU's official account, but a paid advertising account.
The block followed the European Commission's €120 million ($140 million) fine against Musk's X. The penalty stems from violations of EU digital services rules, specifically the "deceptive design" of the blue verification check.
The fine sparked widespread outrage in the United States. Musk called for the "abolition" of the European Union, while criticism also came from US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other pro-Trump politicians, some issuing open threats, including a refusal to defend Europe.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick warned that the US would maintain 50% tariffs on European goods unless the fine against Musk's platform was overturned.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski responded by telling Musk to "go to Mars, there's no censorship of Nazi salutes there."
The remarks drew sharp criticism from several European politicians, analysts, and experts, who condemned the United States, President Donald Trump, and Musk's platform.
