WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has sent a letter to European Union (EU) Commissioner for Internal Markets Thierry Breton, reiterating concerns about the EU's potential attempts to censor or suppress lawful speech in the United States. The letter also addresses threats of reprisal toward Elon Musk and X Corp., an American company.

The Committee and Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government are requesting a briefing and communications regarding several issues. These include efforts to intimidate or coerce Elon Musk or X Corp., using EU law to force American companies to censor speech, and any communications with the Biden-Harris Administration that might bypass First Amendment protections.

In the letter, Jordan states: "We received your response to our August 15 letter about your threats of reprisal toward Elon Musk, an American citizen, and X Corp., an American company, for facilitating political discourse in the United States. Your response, however, failed to alleviate our concerns that you may attempt to censor or suppress lawful speech in the United States using the European Union's (EU) Digital Services Act (DSA)."

Congressman Jim Jordan | Rep. Jim Jordan Official Website

Jordan argues that contrary to Breton's claims, the DSA does regulate content by requiring platforms like X, Facebook, and YouTube to take measures against disinformation. He notes: "In fact, in your threat letter to Elon Musk, you made clear that the DSA obligates X to censor allegedly 'harmful content'—i.e., content disfavored by the EU."

He further asserts that EU-imposed censorship can affect global platforms' moderation policies: "The harms caused by EU-imposed censorship spill across international borders... Thus, the EU's regulatory censorship regime may limit what content Americans can view in the United States."

Additionally, Jordan challenges Breton's assertion that he would not interfere in American democratic processes: "To oppose censorship of so-called 'disinformation' is not to defend or endorse the content. It is to respect citizens' right and ability to consume content and make decisions about its persuasiveness and accuracy."

The Committee has accepted Breton's offer for a European Commission staff briefing. They request further information on efforts involving Elon Musk’s interview with President Donald Trump and any related communications with the Biden-Harris Administration.