Elon Musk has deleted a controversial post from his social media platform X, where he commented that “no one is even trying to assassinate” President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This remark followed news of an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump while he was golfing. Musk, who has nearly 200 million followers on X, acquired the platform for $44 billion in 2022 and has increasingly leaned towards conservative ideologies, including endorsing Trump for president.
Musk, known for both removing and standing by inflammatory comments, had previously faced criticism for various posts. Last week, he made a joke about Taylor Swift after she endorsed Harris, and this latest comment sparked significant backlash. Early Monday, Musk addressed the controversy by acknowledging that not all comments that elicit laughter in private settings translate well into public posts. The original post, which was in response to a query from DogeDesigner about threats to Trump, was quickly condemned, leading to the hashtag “DeportElonMusk” trending on X.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates criticized Musk’s post, stating, “Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about,” and calling the rhetoric “irresponsible.” Musk has a history of posting conspiracy theories and engaging in disputes with world leaders. X is currently banned in Brazil due to a dispute between Musk and a Brazilian Supreme Court judge over free speech and misinformation. The British government also criticized Musk last month for posts that they felt risked inciting violence. Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute, highlighted Musk’s tendency to push the boundaries of free speech through impulsive and unfiltered comments on political issues.
