Hours after what the F.B.I. termed the second attempted assassination of former U.S. president Donald J. Trump, billionaire Elon Musk stirred controversy by posting — and later deleting — a remark on his social media platform, X, questioning why no attempts had been made on the lives of U.S. President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris.
Musk, who has openly endorsed Trump and regularly comments on the U.S. presidential campaign, wrote in response to a user’s query, “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?” His now-deleted reply read, “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” accompanied by a thinking-face emoji. The post quickly went viral, sparking outrage among users, many of whom captured the post before it was taken down. Musk’s account boasts over 197 million followers on X, a platform he acquired in 2022.
After Backlash, Elon Musk Shares His ‘Lesson Learned’
Defending his deleted post, Musk explained in a follow-up on Monday that his initial comment was meant to be a joke. “Well, one lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on X,” he stated.
Well, one lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on 𝕏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024
In another post, he added, “Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text.”
Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024
This controversy comes in the wake of a recent security breach involving Trump. On Sunday, the U.S. Secret Service reported shooting an armed man at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club while the former president was playing. The suspect was arrested shortly after the incident. This follows a previous assassination attempt in July, when Trump was shot in the ear by a would-be attacker during a rally in Pennsylvania. The shooter was fatally shot by law enforcement officers.
Musk, the world’s richest man, has built a reputation for making unfiltered statements that defy social norms, often sharing his thoughts with his massive follower base. His blunt commentary has garnered significant support from sections of the right who oppose political correctness.
However, his recent posts about the U.S. election have not gone without criticism. Last week, Musk faced backlash after amplifying unfounded right-wing claims that immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Additionally, following musician Taylor Swift’s public endorsement of U.S. Vice President Harris, where Swift mockingly signed off as “Childless Cat Lady,” Musk appeared to jokingly offer to father a child with Swift. “Fine Taylor… you win… I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life,” Musk posted.
