President-elect Donald Trump’s new term hasn’t officially begun, but members of his future administration have already started to get to work. Some have even made public statements as a clear warning that significant changes are coming. It’s too soon to determine whether these are merely vague threats or if they will eventually materialize. However, the message is clear.
JD Vance has conditioned U.S. support for NATO. In early September, Vice President-elect JD Vance said in an interview, “What America should be saying is, if NATO wants us to continue supporting them and NATO wants us to continue to be a good participant in this military alliance, why don’t you respect American values and freedom of speech?”
These comments are linked to X owner Elon Musk and the European regulations affecting his social media platform. Vance added, “It’s insane that we would support a military alliance if that military alliance isn’t going to be pro-free speech. I think we can do both. But we’ve got to say American power comes with certain strings attached. One of those is respect free speech, especially in our European allies.”
The conflict between Europe and Musk is intensifying. In July, Musk publicly criticized Thierry Breton, the former European commissioner for the internal market, stating, “We look forward to a very public battle in court, so that the people of Europe can know the truth.”
Musk later added, “The European Commission offered X an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without informing anyone, they would not fine us. The other platforms accepted that deal. X did not.” However, Breton contended that the deal wasn’t illegal but aligned with the goals of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aim to moderate content on social media platforms.
Vance’s recent comments appear to support Musk in his ongoing dispute with the European Commission, which is currently limited to a verbal exchange.
A fine for X is on the table. In July, the European Commission pointed out in a statement, “There is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing the ‘verified account’ to deceive users.” This conclusion stems from the preliminary investigation, which could lead to a significant financial penalty for X.
Under the DSA, X could face fines of up to 6% of its annual revenue as a major platform. While this kind of fine may not significantly impact Musk, repeated violations could result in an X ban in Europe.
Recouping the investment. Musk donated $130 million to Trump’s campaign. So far, this decision appears to be paying off. Just a few days after Trump’s reelection, Musk’s fortune skyrocketed as Tesla’s shares soared, fueled by the expectation that its CEO would receive more favorable regulatory treatment in the future.
Similarly, this influence could yield significant benefits for Musk concerning X after Vance’s statements.
Geopolitical influence of technology leaders. The Guardian aptly described this phenomenon: “A new era dawns. America’s tech bros now strut their stuff in the corridors of power.” This highlights the increasing political clout that the owners of major tech companies are beginning to wield, with Musk being one of the most prominent examples.
Image | Gage Skidmore
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