US government officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Under Secretary of State Sarah Rogers, are intensifying efforts to influence European digital policy by opposing the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a recent landmark regulation on online platforms. These efforts coincide with closer ties between US political figures, tech leaders, and far-right European politicians who argue the DSA amounts to censorship.
US Diplomacy and Digital Regulation
In March 2025, Sarah Rogers testified before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, defending US efforts to promote free speech and democratic self-governance in Europe. Shortly after, Rubio issued a directive encouraging US diplomats to counter foreign propaganda in Europe by working with local influencers, leveraging Elon Musk’s platform X, and collaborating more closely with military psychological operations units.
This approach aligns with the Trump administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy, which views American technology companies as strategic assets and identifies European digital regulations like the DSA as obstacles to US economic and diplomatic goals. The strategy warns of risks to Western democratic values and signals direct opposition to EU efforts to regulate social media platforms.
Transatlantic Far-Right Connections
Analysis by Tech Policy Press reveals an expanding network linking US Republican officials and tech figures with far-right European political entities such as Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, and Hungarian organizations supporting Prime Minister Viktor Orban. US officials, including Rogers, have met with right-wing groups in countries like France, Italy, and Poland, while conservative think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and ADF International also play coordinating roles.
Elon Musk emerges as a central figure in these interactions, often cited in discussions about alleged censorship and regulatory pressures from the EU.
European Parliamentary Opposition to the DSA
A review of European Parliament documents found 55 members spread across right-wing factions—Patriots for Europe (PfE), Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), and European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)—who have publicly questioned or criticized the DSA. The language in their official questions and statements echoes the US narrative describing the DSA as an ideologically motivated censorship tool.
These MEPs represent under 8% of the Parliament but form a notable minority bloc. Their concerns include the potential spillover of the DSA’s effects beyond the EU and support for efforts, including US lobbying, aimed at weakening or abolishing the Act.
Why it matters
The coordinated push against Europe’s digital regulatory framework represents a significant challenge to the EU’s sovereignty over its internal digital market and content moderation policies. If far-right factions gain strength in European institutions or national governments, they could further dilute enforcement of the DSA, undermining the continent’s approach to online platform accountability.
This transatlantic campaign also underscores the strategic role of US tech companies in geopolitical contests over digital governance and raises questions about foreign influence in European policymaking.
Background
The EU’s Digital Services Act, implemented to increase transparency and responsibility among online platforms, came under scrutiny by conservative and right-wing groups who claim it suppresses free expression. Opposition within Europe has been growing amid broader debates about misinformation, content moderation, and digital sovereignty.
The Trump administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy marked a distinct shift toward leveraging American tech firms as instruments of national power and viewing European digital regulations as barriers to US interests, fueling greater confrontations on transatlantic tech policy.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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