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Elon Musk has launched a blistering public attack on Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, accusing him of being a “tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain” after the government announced sweeping plans to tighten regulation of social media platforms — including a proposed ban for users under 16.
The remarks were posted Tuesday on Musk’s platform X (formerly Twitter), shortly after Sánchez unveiled a package of digital reforms aimed at protecting minors and increasing platform accountability.
Sánchez is the true fascist totalitarian https://t.co/b2U17fEwa7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2026
“The dirty Sánchez is a tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain,” Musk wrote in response to a video of the Spanish leader outlining the measures.
Sánchez made the announcement while speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, attended by dozens of heads of state and senior officials. He framed the initiative as a necessary response to what he described as the dangers children face in largely unregulated digital environments.
“Right now, our children are exposed to a space they should never have to navigate alone — a space of addiction, abuse, violence, pornography and manipulation,” Sánchez said. “We are not going to tolerate this any longer.”
Spain moves to tighten control over tech platforms
Under the proposed reforms, Spain would prohibit minors under 16 from accessing social media platforms and impose stricter oversight on digital companies. Sánchez also confirmed that tech executives could face legal responsibility for violations on their platforms — a move that directly challenges companies like Musk-owned X.
The prime minister had already signaled his intentions last year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, arguing that technology leaders should no longer enjoy “impunity” for the societal impact of their platforms. This week’s speech marked the clearest roadmap yet for his government’s plans.
Sánchez said the measures aim to combat online abuse, misinformation, and harmful content, while strengthening accountability across the tech sector.
A relationship marked by repeated clashes
Musk’s latest comments reflect a growing pattern of public confrontations between the billionaire entrepreneur and the Spanish government.
Just days earlier, Sánchez responded directly to Musk on X after the Tesla and SpaceX founder reacted with a terse “Wow” to news about Spain’s decision to regularize the legal status of roughly 500,000 undocumented migrants.
Mars can wait. Humanity can’t. https://t.co/Oc4qAYtd3f
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) January 29, 2026
“Mars can wait. Humanity can’t,” Sánchez replied — a pointed reference to Musk’s ambitions for space exploration.
The post Musk amplified originated from controversial commentator Ian Miles Cheong, who claimed Sánchez was granting legal status to migrants to secure future votes — an allegation the Spanish government strongly denies.
Spain’s new migration law allows people who have lived irregularly in the country since before December to legalize their status by June 30. The measure does not grant citizenship but provides legal residency and work rights.
Speaking again in Dubai, Sánchez accused Musk of amplifying disinformation.
Rising tensions between Musk and the European Union
The clash with Spain comes amid broader friction between Musk’s companies and European regulators.
Last week, the European Commission opened an investigation into X over concerns related to Grok, the platform’s AI chatbot, following reports involving sexualized and non-consensual image generation. Regulators are assessing whether X complies with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
Brussels had already fined X €120 million in December, citing misleading design of its verification system, insufficient advertising disclosures, and limited access to public data for researchers.
European officials have repeatedly warned that major platforms must meet strict standards on content moderation, transparency, and user protection — or face substantial penalties.
Musk, who positions himself as a defender of free speech, has criticized Europe’s digital regulations, arguing they amount to censorship and government overreach.
A wider debate over power, platforms, and responsibility
The escalating dispute highlights a broader global debate: who should control online spaces — tech billionaires or elected governments?
For Sánchez, the reforms represent an effort to reassert democratic oversight over powerful technology companies. For Musk, they symbolize what he views as an attack on free expression and corporate autonomy.
As Spain advances its proposals and the EU intensifies enforcement of its digital laws, the clash between political leaders and Silicon Valley figures appears set to deepen.
What began as a policy disagreement has now evolved into a highly public war of words — with implications far beyond Spain’s borders.
Information Source:
https://www.elconfidencial.com/tecnologia/
https://www.theguardian.com/media/
Photo Attribution:
Photo credit: Elon Musk and President of Argentina Javier Milei speaking at the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, by Gage Skidmore, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. Source: Wikimedia Commons: https://w.wiki/Hj5V
Photo: Pedro Sánchez and Begoña Gómez at Number 10 for NATO leaders meeting (3 Dec 2019) by Ministry of the Presidency, Government of Spain / La Moncloa. Licensed under the Government of Spain’s legal notice (free use with attribution and date, no distortion).
