JD Vance warns EU over expected X penalty, criticises censorship, supports free speech

Vance criticises EU X censorship fine

US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday criticised the European Union over its anticipated decision to fine X, arguing that the bloc should not punish platforms for declining to “engage in censorship.”

In a post on X, Vance urged European regulators to avoid targeting American companies over what he described as “garbage” and emphasised the importance of protecting “free speech.”

“Rumors swirling that the EU commission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship. The EU should be supporting free speech, not attacking American companies over garbage,” he wrote.

Rumors swirling that the EU commission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship. The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 4, 2025

According to The Capitol Forum, the European Commission is preparing to issue its first-ever sanction under the Digital Services Act (DSA) in the coming days, possibly as early as Friday. Two sources familiar with the matter told the Forum that discussions over the timing and size of the penalty remain ongoing within the Commission.

The fine is not related to content removals, but rather alleged violations involving advertisement transparency, data access, and deceptive design, the sources said. Last year, the Commission had already issued preliminary charges against X—formerly Twitter—accusing it of misleading users through its blue checkmark verification system, claiming it did not allow users to make informed decisions about which accounts to follow.

Although the upcoming penalty is expected to be relatively modest, it would mark the EU’s first enforcement under the DSA, a law that significantly expands obligations for major online platforms operating within the bloc.