When Elon Musk bought X, formerly Twitter, and refused to comply with the global censorship regime, he became a target overnight — especially for European Union bureaucrats determined to reassert control over online speech. The EU’s latest effort to slap X with a $140 million penalty is just the most recent example of that campaign.

The EU claims the fine is due to X allowing users to purchase verification checkmarks without the platform independently confirming their identities.

Americans understand that anonymous speech is a cornerstone of liberty. From the Federalist Papers onwards, anonymity has protected dissent, whistleblowers, and political minorities. But Europe does not afford such freedom. That’s why Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the EU’s X fine, suggesting it is retaliation for Musk’s refusal to censor speech at the EU’s direction. (RELATED: Netflix Continues Extension Into Sports World With Exclusive Deal To Bring In Three Barstool Podcasts)

In 2023, the EU opened an investigation into the company for “disinformation,” and Musk drew the ire of European regulators for 

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