Trump Ally Backs Big Tech ‘United Front’ Against UK and EU Online Safety Laws
Trump ally and Republican senator Scott Fitzgerald has stirred the pot during a recent diplomatic visit to the UK and EU, calling for a collective response from American tech giants against stringent European online safety regulations.
While speaking to journalists, Fitzgerald didn’t hold back. He hinted at the possibility of Silicon Valley heavyweights Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and others joining forces in what he described as a potential “united front” to push back against regulatory crackdowns from both Westminster and Brussels.
He revealed that during the trip, he directly asked Meta whether the major platforms had already begun coordinating. The response? Cautiously vague.
“They wouldn’t confirm that,” he said. “There may be some value in some type of united front in trying to fight these things off in Europe.”
His comments zeroed in on the UK’s Online Safety Act and its EU counterpart, both of which aim to rein in harmful content, increase transparency, and enforce stricter accountability from tech firms.
The visit, part of a broader US delegation mission focused on digital policy, included meetings with UK and EU officials, European lawmakers, and representatives from several leading tech companies.
Fitzgerald wasn’t alone. The delegation also featured high-profile Republicans Jim Jordan and Kevin Kiley, both loyal allies of former President Donald Trump.
Jordan, in particular, didn’t mince words when reflecting on the UK’s handling of social media during last year’s Southport unrest.
In a post on social media, he accused the UK government of overstepping: “The government asking for companies to tell them what was being done to tackle reports of a ‘two-tiered system’ was concerning,” he said.
He also warned that the attempt to obtain internal company communications could “chill speech”.
He backed his claim by releasing committee emails between tech platforms and UK officials, which showed requests for updates and action during the Southport riots, sparked by a high-profile murder case that had gripped the nation.
A UK Parliament report later stated that: “Social media business models incentivise the spread of content that is damaging and dangerous, and did so in a manner that endangered public safety in the hours and days following the Southport murders.”
Yet from the American side, the concern seems to lie more with free speech and the potential knock-on effects of non-US governments influencing platforms headquartered in the United States.
The ongoing debate ties into wider concerns raised by tech platforms, most recently highlighted when X warned that the UK’s online safety law threatens free speech.
During the visit, the Republican delegation met with the UK’s Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle. Insiders described the exchange as “polite,” but there’s little doubt that tensions simmer beneath the surface.
Fitzgerald closed his remarks with a signal that this issue could climb the ranks back in Washington: “I’m not sure if it can be elevated to a level of something that the president would talk about publicly and on the global stage, but this stuff is dangerous.
And I think it needs to be addressed, and so I certainly expect to talk to the platforms and talk to the White House as well.”
While it’s unclear how President Trump, if re-elected, would respond, the visit makes one thing certain: the US tech-political alliance is keeping a close eye on UK and EU legislation. And some of its most influential voices are ready to push back.
