Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has deleted a controversial post on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The post, which questioned why no one was attempting to assassinate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, was made just hours after a suspected assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The remark quickly drew criticism from many users and led to the trending of the hashtag “DeportElonMusk.”
The Controversial Post
Musk’s comment was a response to a question from another X user, DogeDesigner, who asked, “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?” Musk replied, “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala” along with a thinking face emoji. This post followed a reported incident where a man allegedly aimed an AK-47-style rifle at Trump while he was golfing in Florida. The suspect was apprehended by Secret Service agents before any harm could be done.
Public and Official Reaction
The post was met with immediate backlash. Many users on X criticized Musk’s comment as dangerous and irresponsible. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates condemned the post, saying, “Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about.” The U.S. Secret Service also acknowledged awareness of the post but declined to comment further on the matter, emphasizing their role in investigating threats related to their protectees.
Musk’s Response
Following the uproar, Musk removed the original post and addressed the situation on X. He stated, “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 further explained that his comment was intended as a joke and not meant to incite violence.
History of Controversy
This is not the first time Elon Musk has faced criticism for his posts. He has previously shared conspiracy theories, feuded with political figures, and faced backlash for comments perceived as encouraging violence. Recently, he has been involved in disputes related to misinformation and free speech, including issues with Brazilian authorities over content on X.
Legal Implications
Musk’s post has raised questions about whether it could be considered incitement under U.S. law. Title 18 of the U.S. Code defines incitement as persuading or encouraging others to use violence, which can be punishable by imprisonment or fines. However, whether Musk’s comments meet this legal threshold remains uncertain.
This is literally incitement.
— DemsMight 🇺🇸 (@demsmight) September 16, 2024