Meta Poised to Gain Big as Washington Challenges EU Digital Rules

In a move that could represent a significant shift for social platforms, the White House has indicated it plans to take a firmer stance against the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) — a law that has already cost Meta billions in fines in recent years, and which the Trump administration argues unfairly penalizes American companies.
According to a report from Reuters:
“President Donald Trump’s administration is considering imposing sanctions on European Union or member state officials responsible for implementing the bloc’s landmark Digital Services Act, two sources familiar with the matter said, over U.S. complaints that the law censors Americans and imposes costs on U.S. tech companies.”
The report notes that senior State Department officials have not yet made a final decision on the matter, but potential measures could include visa restrictions. Such a move would mark yet another escalation in the administration’s opposition to the DSA, a battle that could ultimately benefit Meta and other platforms if the White House succeeds in easing or rolling back its reach.
Critics have accused Mark Zuckerberg of cozying up to Trump after years of resisting his policies. Since the 2024 election, however, Meta has enacted a string of changes seemingly aligned with Trump’s preferences — from adopting a Community Notes model to placing Republican figures in key positions.
Still, the political cost may prove worthwhile. If the administration succeeds in blunting the DSA, Meta could avoid billions in annual fines.
“The Trump administration has instructed U.S. diplomats in Europe to launch a lobbying campaign to build opposition to the Digital Services Act in an effort to have it amended or repealed.”
At the core of the Trump team’s objections lies the issue of censorship. The administration argues that the DSA unfairly compels U.S. platforms to comply with European restrictions on speech. Yet the broader implications are financial as much as ideological, with all major social networks potentially benefitting from lighter oversight and reduced penalties.
American officials have long voiced their disapproval of the DSA. Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) labeled the Act “incompatible with America’s free speech tradition.” Trump himself has threatened tariffs on European imports in retaliation for regulations that he claims disadvantage U.S. tech giants.
And the penalties at stake are not minor. Over the past several years, Meta has been hit with more than a billion dollars annually in EU fines, linked to issues ranging from data breaches to the integration of Facebook Marketplace, alleged tax irregularities, and more.
Some of these measures appear less about correcting genuine market abuses and more about extracting revenue from Meta’s global dominance. For example, various EU states have attempted to levy taxes over the use of publisher content, despite Meta’s withdrawal from the news business and the company’s repeated — and valid — assertion that publishers benefit far more from its platforms than the reverse.
Such actions suggest the DSA and related penalties are, at times, less regulatory safeguards than mechanisms for reclaiming local revenue. That logic has given the Trump administration an opening: both to challenge the law on principle and to position itself as defending U.S. businesses abroad.
For now, the White House has not committed to a definitive course of action. But one thing seems clear: Zuckerberg’s alignment with Trump may yet pay off, with the prospect of significant financial relief in the years ahead.
📢 If you're interested in Facebook Ads Account, don't hesitate to connect with us!
🔹 https://linktr.ee/Adshinepro
💬 We're always ready to assist you!