Yet there was notable dissent from lawmakers on the right and far-right as the debate split along political lines. Polish right-wing lawmaker Piotr Müller told the hearing that Breton’s actions during his time in office were reminiscent of Soviet-style censorship.
Lawmakers on the left meanwhile suggested the EU Commission should suspend access for American government representatives to its premises, a move that would severely restrict contacts with Washington.
Wednesday’s hearing comes amid an ongoing fight between Washington and Brussels over the EU’s digital rules. The White House and its allies claim the DSA is a censorship regime that also affects U.S. citizens and restricts free speech. The Commission says it censors neither Europeans nor Americans, and argues instead that the EU protects all users online and promotes free expression by blocking illegal and harmful content and misinformation.
Referring to a letter Breton sent X owner Elon Musk in 2024, Müller said that Breton’s decision to threaten Musk over a planned live interview with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump was “a clear case in point when political instruments are used to actually hamper the freedom of speech.”
Müller, who represents the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, said ahead of the hearing that the letter amounted to “a blatant attempt to interfere” in the U.S. elections. “Actions have consequences and this episode inevitably shaped perceptions in Washington,” he told POLITICO.
While Breton said at the time that the interview could include misinformation that would spread in the EU, and that the Commission could block X as a result, some within the Commission said he was overreaching to gain attention. Breton resigned a few weeks later, after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asked for his candidacy for another term to be withdrawn.