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4w ago

Rubio Sends U.S. Diplomats to Lobby Against EU’s Digital Services Act

A State Department cable tasks envoys to rally European opposition to the DSA ahead of trade negotiations, despite Brussels insisting the law will remain unchanged.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a meeting between President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 14, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
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Overview

  • The August 4 cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio directs diplomats in Europe to build host government and stakeholder support to repeal or amend the EU’s Digital Services Act.
  • The directive condemns the DSA’s measures to combat hateful speech, misinformation and disinformation as “undue” restraints on freedom of expression and costly to U.S. tech firms.
  • Envoys are ordered to investigate any government efforts to suppress protected speech or coerce private platforms, prioritizing cases that affect American citizens and companies.
  • EU Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier has reiterated that neither the DSA nor the Digital Markets Act is open for negotiation in U.S.-EU trade talks.
  • U.S. technology giants such as Meta Platforms have publicly criticized the DSA for imposing heavy fines and operational burdens that amount to platform censorship.