Wolfram Weimer, Germany’s newly appointed Minister of State for Culture, has thrown more fuel on the already blazing conflict over U.S. media platforms. His polemical speech makes it clear where things are heading: Brussels and Berlin are pushing for censorship and are apparently willing to escalate the trade dispute with Washington even further.

Weimer, a close ally of NGOs and — as it now turns out — no great defender of free speech, used his address at the Frankfurter Buchmesse to publicly scold U.S. tech platforms.

“We cannot allow Big Tech platforms to monopolize narrative power without democratic control. The best solution would be to break up Google,” Weimer declared.

Harsh words — and entirely misplaced given the simmering trade conflict with the U.S., which increasingly revolves around regulation of American communication platforms.

Weimer Demands Censorship

Two elements of Weimer’s speech stand out. First, his call for “democratic control” — a classic euphemism for far-reaching state censorship. This phrase perfectly captures the political spirit in Berlin: free speech on independent media platforms must not be allowed to run unchecked if it risks undermining the state’s preferred narrative.

To obscure this core ambition — total control of public discourse — Weimer shifted his speech to economic issues and revived his long-standing demand for a digital tax. A dash of envy politics is never far when German politicians speak freely: a ten percent levy on the profits of Google, X, Meta & Co., based on advertising revenue, would serve as a first “indulgence payment.”

Weimer didn’t say it outright, but once implemented, such a tax could be ratcheted up until platforms are forced to withdraw from the EU. At the same time, he wants to subject them to German press law — wrapped in the ubiquitous mantra of “democratic control.” We know what that means: systematically filtering out unwelcome opinions to protect Brussels’ and Berlin’s eco-socialist crash course from public dissent.

“Reforms” in the Fall

Weimer announced he will present concrete tax proposals this fall — allegedly to “defend independent media.” In reality, the plan aims to shower public broadcasters with subsidies, stabilize state-aligned media formats, and channel public debate into politically controllable lanes.

This is precisely why Elon Musk’s role is crucial. Since taking over X (formerly Twitter), Musk has reopened public discourse and delivered a vital blow against the censorship machine. Without such individual initiatives, the digital public sphere would long since have suffocated in ideological conformity.

Only now — thanks to the transparency initiatives of Donald Trump’s administration — are we beginning to see just how deeply U.S. agencies had embedded themselves in the media and platform sector. America itself had reached the critical point where the republican principle of shielding citizens from the state was hanging by a thread.

Grenell Fires Back

The U.S. response came swiftly. On the same day, Richard Grenell, former U.S. ambassador and special envoy, denounced Weimer’s remarks as a “new protectionist wave in Europe” that could ultimately endanger transatlantic technology exchange.

“When German politicians start punishing American tech companies, they’re punishing their own future. Innovation comes not from taxes, but from freedom, competition, and entrepreneurship,” Grenell said.

Freedom, competition, entrepreneurship — not exactly the spirit of today’s EU. Anyone looking at the regulatory policy of Brussels and Berlin sees no place of progress, but the iron fist of state dirigisme. The distrust of free enterprise is palpable. The EU has become a symbol of market repression.

That the U.S. surged ahead in digital technology — and now dominates robotics, AI, and data infrastructure — is no accident. It’s the direct result of a European regulatory regime that is not only economically short-sighted but socially disastrous.

Instead of admitting their own failures, Europe is reaching for the fiscal sledgehammer and the legal steamroller — a pathetic confession of defeat. No country that smothers every entrepreneurial initiative with eco-dictates, absurd regulation, and the world’s highest tax burden should expect growth.

Weimer’s aggressive tone won’t convince a single investor to bet on Germany.

Ministry of Propaganda Vibes

After only a few weeks in office, a clear interim verdict on Weimer is possible. First, it is not the role of a culture minister to meddle in geopolitical conflicts. Weimer lacks intellectual depth and strategic awareness. He doesn’t even grasp that neither Germany nor the EU is remotely capable of challenging the geopolitical Goliath that is the United States — least of all in economic terms.

Second, it’s high time to abolish the office of the Minister of State for Culture altogether. The idea that the state should have its hands on cultural life is itself an affront to intellectual freedom.

Third, the supposedly nonpartisan Weimer not only continues the generous funding of radical-left NGOs but expands it. This exposes the real direction of German politics: defending Brussels’ eco-socialist course at all costs — even if that means openly confronting Washington.

How this strategy will play out between Washington and Beijing remains to be seen. One thing is already clear: Weimer is a total failure. And his arrogant comments on the digital economy make him a political liability for Germany.

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Thomas Kolbe, born in 1978 in Neuss/ Germany, is a graduate economist. For over 25 years, he has worked as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination.