Elon Musk Deletes Controversial Post Mentioning Assassinations: Here’s What Happened
Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently deleted a post that referenced the assassinations of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The post, which was shared early Monday morning, read: “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala 🤔.”
Musk’s now-deleted post quoted another X user who commented about what the FBI said “appeared to be an attempted assassination” on former President Donald Trump on Sunday. This would mark the second assassination attempt on Trump after a gunman opened fire at one of his rallies over the summer.
However, Musk faced immediate backlash for his post. Many X users questioned why he still has security clearance, a privilege provided to him as CEO of SpaceX. The criticism intensified as people expressed concern over the potential implications of Musk’s statement.
In response to the backlash, Musk initially defended his comment. He claimed that his post was meant to highlight the fact that no one had attempted to assassinate Biden and Harris, rather than endorsing or inciting violence. However, Musk later deleted the post and now claims that it was intended as a “joke.”
Musk’s explanation did little to appease critics, as his remarks were seen as insensitive and inappropriate. The incident has once again sparked a conversation about the responsibility of public figures and the potential consequences of their words.
Over the years, Musk has increasingly become involved in right-wing politics and far-right conspiracy theories. He openly expressed support for former President Donald Trump after the assassination attempt in July, further fueling speculation about his political leanings.
While Musk may have deleted his controversial post, he has continued to spread conspiracy theories about the reported Trump assassination attempt. Shortly after taking down his own post, Musk boosted another far-right account that questioned why other recent presidents had not experienced assassination attempts.
This incident raises important questions about the power and influence of public figures on social media platforms. It highlights the need for individuals in positions of authority to be mindful of their words and the potential impact they can have on public discourse.
In a time when misinformation and conspiracy theories spread rapidly online, it is crucial for social media platforms to take responsibility for monitoring and addressing harmful content. Public figures, like Musk, also have a responsibility to use their platforms responsibly and promote healthy, constructive dialogue.
While Musk’s controversial post has been deleted, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of thoughtful and respectful communication, particularly for those in positions of power and influence.