Tensions between Washington and Brussels escalated after a senior U.S. diplomat accused the European Union of weakening America while relying on U.S. protection through NATO.
EU Tech Crackdown On Elon Musk's X Sparks Political Backlash
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau aimed at the European Union after the European Commission fined X €120 million ($139.73) for alleged transparency violations, reported Politico.
On Saturday, in a post X, Landau said, "The nations of Europe cannot look to the US for their own security at the same time they affirmatively undermine the security of the US itself through the (unelected, undemocratic, and unrepresentative) EU."
Elon Musk, the owner of X and a major political donor to President Donald Trump, criticized the penalty and threatened retaliation, calling the EU's action hostile to free speech and U.S. business interests.
US Accuses EU Green Rules Of Undermining NATO
Landau said the fine was "the tip of the iceberg," warning that EU policies on climate, technology, borders and sovereignty were harming U.S. interests.
In a separate post on Saturday, he said, "This inconsistency cannot continue," he wrote. "Either the great nations of Europe are our partners in protecting the Western civilization that we inherited from them or they are not."
He also criticized European NATO members for advancing defense initiatives without U.S. involvement, calling it a troubling signal for alliance unity.
Rubio’s NATO Absence And Trump's 5% Defense Push
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to skip a NATO meeting in Brussels, with Deputy Secretary Landau set to attend, though the schedule could change.
The State Department declined to confirm but said the Trump administration had strengthened NATO ties and that Rubio remained in regular contact with allies.
In June, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised President Trump for pushing European allies to raise defense spending.
Most NATO members, except Spain, signaled support for increasing military budgets toward a 5% of GDP target, despite controversy.
Trump criticized Spain's resistance, while Rutte reassured allies that U.S. security guarantees would continue if defense spending increased and proposed a long-term plan for higher military and infrastructure investments.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Frederic Legrand – COMEO via Shutterstock
