U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered American diplomats in Europe to initiate a lobbying campaign aimed at dismantling or amending the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), according to an internal cable obtained by Reuters.
The directive, dated 4 August, marks an escalation in the Trump administration’s opposition to the bloc’s digital regulatory framework, which it claims curbs freedom of expression and places disproportionate burdens on U.S. technology firms.
The classified diplomatic cable, signed by Rubio, instructs U.S. embassies to actively engage with European governments, regulators, businesses, and civil society in order to build political support for repealing or modifying the DSA and related legislation. The directive also tasks diplomats with gathering evidence of what it describes as censorship – particularly incidents that affect American companies or citizens.
The DSA, which came into force earlier this year, mandates that large online platforms take stronger action to remove illegal content, including hate speech, child sexual abuse material, and disinformation. It also introduces compliance obligations backed by potential fines. The European Commission maintains that the law is designed to foster a safer and more transparent online environment and does not discriminate against non-EU companies.
In its latest move, the Trump administration has asserted that the DSA infringes upon what it calls “America’s free-speech tradition”, with Rubio’s cable referring to “undue restrictions” on freedom of expression. It cites the law’s scope and enforcement mechanisms as evidence of excessive control and warns that definitions of “illegal content” within the DSA could extend to political or religious discourse.
The cable’s “objective” section states that U.S. diplomatic posts “should focus efforts to build host government and other stakeholder support to repeal and/or amend the DSA or related EU or national laws restricting expression online.” Talking points and policy suggestions were included to aid U.S. diplomats in these discussions.
The State Department has not commented publicly on the cable. The European Commission has reaffirmed its position that EU digital regulations are not negotiable in the context of broader EU–U.S. trade discussions. “Our legislation will not be changed. The DMA and the DSA are not on the table in the trade negotiations with the U.S.,” Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said in March.
EU Fines Apple and Meta €700 Million Under Digital Markets Act
The campaign forms part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to confront what it sees as European censorship. Vice President JD Vance has been particularly vocal, previously accusing the EU of suppressing political expression, citing the treatment of Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. In February, Vance caused controversy at a European security forum by accusing EU governments of undermining democratic principles.
Vance also held meetings with AfD leaders, despite the party being under surveillance by Germany’s domestic intelligence service on suspicion of extremism. European leaders strongly rejected Vance’s accusations.
The current U.S. initiative revives earlier criticism from Republican lawmakers and officials who claimed that the previous Biden administration had encouraged platforms to suppress content, particularly related to public health and electoral integrity. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Biden administration’s contact with social media firms did not violate constitutional protections on free speech.
Rubio’s directive further instructs U.S. diplomats to monitor and report on censorship incidents. These include legal actions, detentions, online suspensions, and any state-sanctioned pressure on digital platforms. The cable emphasises the need to prioritise cases involving American individuals or companies and calls for meetings with affected parties across Europe.
The campaign has also attracted attention from U.S. regulatory voices. In March, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) criticised the DSA, arguing that it conflicts with U.S. constitutional protections. In May, Rubio proposed visa bans for foreign officials involved in what the administration considers to be the censorship of Americans online.
Several American tech companies have raised concerns over the DSA’s implications for platform governance. Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, has expressed opposition, while Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), had previously advised the Trump administration on tech policy before falling out with the president. Executives from Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon were among the high-profile attendees at Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.
The State Department cable also suggests revisions to the DSA’s enforcement tools. These include narrowing the definition of illegal content, eliminating or scaling down penalties for non-compliance, and reducing the role of “trusted flaggers” – entities certified by national authorities to identify unlawful online content. The administration believes these mechanisms contribute to what it calls “overly broad controls” that infringe upon the right to free expression.
While the European Commission has maintained that the DSA serves to uphold the rule of law and protect users online, it has faced resistance from both U.S. officials and domestic critics who argue the framework could have unintended consequences on political discourse and platform liability.
Meta to End Political and Social Issue Advertising in EU Ahead of New Regulations
