Key Points
- The U.S. is launching a diplomatic campaign to oppose the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
- Washington argues the law stifles free speech and unfairly burdens U.S. tech companies.
- The EU says the law is necessary to combat illegal online content like hate speech.
- The EU has stated that the DSA is not on the table in any trade negotiations with the U.S.
The Trump administration has ordered its diplomats in Europe to launch a lobbying campaign against the European Union’s new Digital Services Act (DSA). Washington argues that the landmark law stifles free speech and unfairly targets U.S. tech companies.
A diplomatic cable from the U.S. State Department, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, claims the EU is putting “undue” restrictions on freedom of expression with its efforts to fight hate speech and misinformation. The cable instructs U.S. diplomats to push European governments to “repeal and/or amend” the DSA.
The EU’s DSA is a major piece of legislation designed to make the internet safer by forcing tech giants to do more to police illegal content on their platforms. However, the Trump administration, which has made fighting “censorship” of conservative voices a key issue, sees it as an attack on free speech.
The diplomatic cable, marked as an “action request,” gives U.S. diplomats specific talking points to use. They are told to argue for narrowing the definition of “illegal content” and to push for reducing or removing fines for non-compliance. The cable also orders diplomats to investigate any claims of censorship in Europe that impact U.S. citizens or companies.
This move marks an escalation in the administration’s campaign to promote what it calls “America’s free-speech tradition,” a policy that is creating new friction with European allies. The EU has firmly stated that its new tech laws are not up for negotiation.
