Elon Musk gave an epic one-word response to the European Commission’s fine of $140 million because it claimed the social media platform X had failed to control what it labeled harmful content. This represents a brazen move to control free speech.

In a video posted on Friday by the EU tech regulators it announced that Musk was being fined for the following reasons.

Today we fined X for non-compliance with transparency obligations under the DSA. We’re holding X accountable for deceptive design of its blue checkmark, lack of transparency of its advertising repository and failure to provide access to public data for researchers.

Musk’s simple response couldn’t have been more American. Under the EU post he simply wrote Bulls—.

In a follow-up post sometime later Musk included what a threat to democracy this fine was.

“Freedom of speech is the bedrock [of] democracy. The only way to know what you are voting for.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed Musk’s comments and concerns. His post has since gone viral with 8 million views and counting.

“The European Commission’s $140 million fine isn’t just an attack on @X, it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments. The days of censoring Americans online are over.”

U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr also blasted it.

“Once again, Europe is fining a successful U.S. tech company for being a successful U.S. tech company. Europe is taxing Americans to subsidize a continent held back by Europe’s own suffocating regulations.”

While the EU’s executive claimed in the video that the fine had nothing to do with content moderation even Reuters pointed out that the fine included punishing X for not controlling what it deemed harmful content on the platform.

The report read as follows.

The EU sanction against X followed a two-year-long investigation under the bloc’s Digital Services Act which requires online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content.

So yeah this is censorship. This is crazy and wrong.

The Digital Services Act represents Europe’s attempt to impose its speech restrictions on American companies. The EU wants to control what people can say online globally not just in Europe.

The fine targeting X’s blue checkmark system shows how petty the EU’s complaints are. They are upset about verification badges while claiming this is about harmful content.

Lack of transparency in advertising and researcher access are separate issues from speech control. The EU bundled multiple grievances together to justify a massive fine.

Musk’s one-word profane response perfectly captures American contempt for European censorship. He refuses to pretend this is about anything other than controlling speech.

His follow-up about democracy’s bedrock being free speech explains why he won’t comply. Without knowing what people really think voters cannot make informed decisions.

Rubio’s statement that the days of censoring Americans are over signals a major policy shift. The Trump administration will not tolerate foreign governments policing American speech.

His description of the fine as an attack on all American tech platforms is accurate. If the EU can fine X they can fine any American company for refusing to censor.

FCC Chairman Carr’s point about Europe fining successful American companies reveals the pattern. The EU targets American tech giants because they dominate markets Europe cannot compete in.

His observation that Europe taxes Americans to subsidize itself through suffocating regulations explains the real motive. These fines are revenue generation disguised as regulation.

Reuters admitting the fine relates to harmful content despite EU denials proves Musk is right. This is about forcing X to censor speech the EU dislikes.

The two-year investigation under the Digital Services Act shows this was a coordinated effort. The EU spent years building a case to punish Musk for refusing to censor.

The requirement that platforms tackle illegal and harmful content sounds reasonable until you realize the EU defines harmful. Anything they disagree with politically becomes harmful.

Musk’s refusal to bend to European pressure protects American free speech. If he caves every other platform will face similar demands.