The European Commission has rebuked Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton for sending a letter to Elon Musk without approval, warning the billionaire about the spread of "harmful content" on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of his interview with former U.S. President Donald Trump. The letter, posted by Breton on X, was sent just hours before Musk's interview with Trump and has sparked controversy within the European Union.

The letter, which Breton posted on X, warned Musk of his obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law that requires large digital platforms to take proactive measures to prevent the spread of "illegal content and disinformation." "With great audience comes greater responsibility," Breton wrote.

However, the European Commission later clarified that Breton had not received approval from its president, Ursula von der Leyen, or other commissioners before sending the letter. An EU official, who requested anonymity, noted that the timing and wording of the letter were not coordinated with the Commission’s leadership.

Musk responded to the letter with a meme from the movie Tropic Thunder, while a Trump campaign spokesperson criticized the EU for attempting to interfere in U.S. politics.

Financial Times Article