Morning Wire – “The EU Censorship Fight You Didn’t Know About”

Date: April 12, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley (Executive Editor, Daily Wire), Georgia Howe
Guest: Jeremy Tedesco, Senior Counsel and Senior Vice President, Counter Censorship Task Force, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the European Union’s (EU) unprecedented regulatory actions against social media company X (formerly Twitter) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The hosts and their guest, Jeremy Tedesco, unpack the wide-reaching implications of these EU actions for free speech—particularly how they affect American companies and citizens. The discussion highlights Elon Musk’s fightback, political responses from the U.S., and the global stakes in the battle over digital speech standards.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The EU Digital Services Act as “Global Narrative Control”

• [04:07] Jeremy Tedesco: Frames the DSA as much more than a European regulation, calling it “the EU’s attempt at global narrative control.” He warns this goes beyond the EU, aiming to shape what’s permissible on global tech platforms—even for American citizens.

• Quote [04:07]:

  “The whole effort under the DSA, which we call the ‘Delete Silence Abolish’ Act, is to reach out and regulate American tech companies and force them to regulate speech on the digital platforms... in ways that are aligned with European bureaucrats’ views... and trust me, that is not the American standard of free speech.”
  (Jeremy Tedesco)

• The DSA gives the EU broad powers to pressure U.S. companies into moderating speech per European, not American, values.

2. Why the EU Is Targeting Elon Musk and X

• [05:21] Jeremy Tedesco: Argues X is being targeted and fined as punishment for Musk’s commitment to free speech following his 2022 acquisition. Unlike other tech giants that complied with censorship demands, Musk “threw a wrench in the censorship aims of the European Union.”

• Quote [05:21]:

  “When Elon Musk bought X... it threw a huge wrench in the censorship aims of the European Union... The EU is, bottom line, punishing Elon Musk and X because Elon took this stance to protect free speech in the global marketplace of ideas.”
  (Jeremy Tedesco)

• Fines are part of a broader push to force compliance using financial and regulatory pressure.

3. X’s Legal Counterattack: The First DSA Fine Lawsuit

• [07:41] X filed a lawsuit in the General Court of the European Union, making it the first-ever legal challenge to a DSA enforcement action. Tedesco predicts a drawn-out court battle and warns that more fines and investigations are already in the pipeline.

• Other American companies (Meta, Google) are mentioned as likely future targets, making this case an important precedent.

4. Political and Governmental Responses in the U.S.

• [09:06] The Trump administration and prominent Republicans have publicly opposed the EU’s overreach.

• Quote [09:06]:

  “Marco Rubio, Undersecretary of State Sarah Rogers, even President Trump, and J.D. Vance... have made it very clear that these attempts by the European Union to control and penalize American companies... are things they’re not going to tolerate.”
  (Jeremy Tedesco)

• Legislators like Jim Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee are investigating EU censorship influence.

• Tedesco connects the DSA’s origins to Brexit and Trump’s 2016 win, suggesting that EU elites, shocked by these results, are seeking “total narrative control” to prevent future surprises.

5. How the DSA Fine Was Calculated—And Its Arbitrariness

• [12:32] The $140M fine is depicted as arbitrary and based on vague requirements: X’s blue check verification system, lack of data-sharing with researchers, and advertising transparency.

• The EU has discretion to fine up to 6% of global turnover, meaning future penalties could escalate severely.

• The real aim, according to Tedesco: either break up X or pressure it to leave the EU.

6. Could the DSA Model Spread to America?

• [13:59] Warning that pieces of the DSA approach are already being adopted in states like California, Colorado, Illinois, and New York—especially in anti-satire/deepfake laws.

• ADF and allied litigators have pushed back on these, protecting satire and meme speech under the First Amendment.

• The EU and some U.S. states are aligned in pushing for more robust speech controls on digital platforms.

7. What Happens if Musk Wins (or Loses) in Court?

• [15:36] A victory for Musk/X would set a strong precedent, but would not end the EU’s efforts; future, even more sweeping content moderation cases are likely.

• If companies like X “bend the knee,” all users’ speech rights are diminished.

8. Are Other U.S. Tech Companies Fighting Back?

• [16:57] Currently, only X is in a position to fight because it’s the first direct target. The “voluntary” codes of conduct imposed by the EU are decried as anything but voluntary:
• Quote [17:55]:

  “There’s nothing voluntary in the EU. They label things with the word voluntary, but the reality is if you leave something voluntarily, they’re going to fine you $140 million.”
  (Jeremy Tedesco)

9. What Can Americans Do?

• [18:08] Tedesco urges listeners to contact legislators and the President, supporting free speech investigations and opposition to EU overreach. He encourages Americans to keep speaking out.

• Tedesco highlights the case of UK satirist Graham Linehan, who was arrested upon returning to the UK for posting a meme while in Arizona, illustrating the global reach of EU censorship.

• Quote [19:10]:

  “Don’t be afraid... if they try to take down that speech, it’s going to give more fodder to the administration to say, no, this is a red line. You can’t cross it. Americans can comment on Europe losing its mind on free speech... and they shouldn’t have to pay a price for that.”
  (Jeremy Tedesco)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The DSA as “Delete Silence Abolish” [04:07]
  A pointed, tongue-in-cheek renaming of the Digital Services Act.

• “This word does not mean what you think it means.” [17:55]
  Host John Bickley’s quip about the EU’s use of “voluntary” rules, highlighting regulatory doublespeak.

• The Graham Linehan story [19:08]
  Arrested for a meme posted while in the U.S.—an example of just how far jurisdictional overreach can go.

Important Timestamps

• [04:07]: Tedesco explains the DSA and its global implications
• [05:21]: Why Elon Musk and X are being fined
• [07:41]: Details on X’s EU court challenge—the first lawsuit of its kind
• [09:06]: U.S. government and Congressional response
• [12:32]: How the fine is calculated and its punitive purpose
• [13:59]: DSA model’s creep into U.S. state law, ADF legal pushback
• [15:36]: What a legal win or loss would mean for X and free speech
• [16:57]: On other U.S. tech companies, and the “voluntary” code fallacy
• [18:08]: Action items for American listeners; Graham Linehan cautionary tale

Conclusion

This episode makes a compelling case that the EU’s Digital Services Act—and its enforcement actions against X—are a watershed moment for global free speech, directly impacting not only tech giants but ordinary Americans. The guest and hosts emphasize the importance of resisting imported censorship standards and urge public, legislative, and legal action to defend the principle of open debate. The conversation is urgent, spirited, and sharply critical of both EU regulatory overreach and any capitulation to speech restrictions in the U.S.

For those interested in digital rights, technology policy, or free speech battles—this episode provides a frontline view into one of the most consequential, under-the-radar legal fights in recent years.