Elon Musk labels French raid on X offices a 'political attack'

2026-02-04 - 09:55

Elon Musk has publicly condemned a raid conducted by French law enforcement at the Paris headquarters of his social media platform X, labeling it a "political attack." The billionaire's remarks came in response to an official statement from the company, which framed the search as part of a politicized investigation. Company Statement and Allegations The platform's Global Government Affairs team stated the operation was linked to "a politicized criminal investigation into alleged manipulation of algorithms and purported fraudulent data extraction." The company expressed disappointment but not surprise, alleging the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office is "plainly attempting to exert pressure" on X's senior US-based leadership by targeting its French subsidiary and employees. Nature of the French Investigation French authorities confirmed that the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor's office executed the search as part of an ongoing probe. The investigation, initiated in January 2025, centers on the operational mechanisms of X's algorithms, a focal point of increasing regulatory scrutiny for major tech platforms across Europe. Context of EU-Tech Industry Tensions This incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between European regulators and American technology giants. Musk, a frequent critic of European Union policies, has previously clashed with Brussels over content moderation and platform governance rules. The raid underscores the escalating regulatory and legal challenges US tech firms face in European jurisdictions.