A senior State Department official said Washington is prepared to respond if British regulators move to prohibit X, framing the dispute as a test of free expression and regulatory overreach.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The U.S. State Department has issued a pointed warning to the United Kingdom over the possibility of banning Elon Musk’s social media platform X, with a senior diplomatic official saying that “nothing is off the table” if British authorities proceed with such action.
According to reporting by Politico, Sarah B. Rogers, the under secretary of state for public diplomacy, made the remarks during an interview with GB News that aired in the United Kingdom early Tuesday. Rogers, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, indicated that the United States could consider retaliatory measures should UK regulators follow through with efforts to bar X from operating in the country.
Rogers framed the dispute as a matter of fundamental free speech principles, saying the United States views restrictions on digital platforms through the lens of protecting freedom of expression. She told the British outlet that Washington would closely monitor how the situation unfolds before deciding on a response, but emphasized that all options remain available.
The warning comes amid scrutiny of X following controversy involving Grok, an artificial intelligence tool developed by Musk’s company. British regulators are examining reports that Grok generated sexualized images of women and children resembling content produced by so-called “nudify” deepfake sites, which were then shared on X. The chatbot later issued an apology for sexualizing images of children, attributing the incident to failures in its safeguards.
The regulatory action centers on an investigation launched by Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator tasked with enforcing online safety rules. Ofcom said it is examining whether X has complied with its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act to protect users from illegal content. Under the law, Ofcom has the authority to impose fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of a company’s global revenue and, in extreme cases, to block platforms entirely.
In announcing the investigation, Ofcom said it was responding to “deeply concerning” reports related to Grok’s image-generation capabilities. A spokesperson for the regulator said the agency would act where it suspects platforms are failing to meet their duties, “especially where there’s a risk of harm to children,” according to Ofcom’s statement released by the regulator.
The dispute has begun to draw in U.S. lawmakers. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said last week that she is working on legislation that would sanction the United Kingdom if it moves to ban X, signaling growing support among some members of Congress for defending the platform against foreign regulatory actions.
During her GB News interview, Rogers accused British authorities of seeking greater control over public discourse and suppressing viewpoints they oppose. She characterized the regulatory push as politically motivated, arguing that X’s perceived political orientation is a key factor driving opposition from UK officials.
British authorities have not announced a final decision on potential penalties against X, and Ofcom said its investigation is ongoing. The State Department has not detailed what specific measures Washington might consider, but Rogers’ remarks underscore rising diplomatic tension as the issue moves forward.
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