France has commenced a criminal investigation into Elon Musk’s X, following allegations of algorithmic manipulation and unauthorized data scraping. The company made the announcement, noting that France had requested access to its content ranking system along with data tied to every user’s post.
According to the information provided by the platform, it is refusing to comply as it still doesn’t know the exact details of the charges. X mentioned that the claims look politically charged, noting in its statement that “We remain in the dark about the specific allegations,” while adding, “We have not acceded to the French authorities’ demands.”
“However, based on what we know so far, X believes that this investigation is distorting French law to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech,” the platform added. France is yet to release an official response to the public refusal, but the legal action points to the increased pressure in Europe on Musk’s tech empire.
France piles on Elon Musk’s X amid Trump fallout
When Elon showed up to his final meeting at the White House on May 30, it wasn’t his usual ego or a SpaceX update that caught attention; it was the bruise under his eye. It took a full 40 minutes before anyone at the Oval Office meeting asked about it.“I said, ‘Go ahead, punch me in the face,’ and he did,” referring to his 5-year-old son, also named X. “I didn’t really feel much at the time. And then I guess it bruises up.”
That same day, The New York Times released an article claiming that people around Musk were worried about his erratic behavior, linking it to the use of psychedelic drugs. That image of him at the White House did nothing to calm nerves. The bruise wasn’t the only thing Elon was carrying out of Washington. His relationship with President Donald Trump, which once looked like an unbreakable alliance, went through a nasty, public breakup.
Musk had started to show up in Trump’s inner circle, wearing a hat that supported the President. In a tweet in February, he said, “I love @realdonaldtrump as much as a straight man can love another man.” He also bragged about slashing government spending, even as voters started to turn on the cuts he was making at the time, and that is when the cracks started to form.
However, during the honeymoon phase, advertisers who’d stopped working with X due to Elon’s antisemitic posts returned. SpaceX won government licenses. His net worth soared to $360 billion, boosted by Tesla, SpaceX, and his AI venture, xAI. At the time, things were going well. But now, everything is going the opposite direction with Tesla stock falling, Musk and Trump throwing shots at each other in public.
Now with the France investigation piling on, his businesses are looking more exposed than ever. Elon is rich on paper but cash poor, and heavily dependent on his companies staying in investors’ good graces. But those companies are financially tied together. If one drops, they all feel it. And Trump has plenty of ways to go after Elon if he wants; through military contracts, government funding, or regulatory firepower.
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