Michael Mann 
Elon Musk, the often-controversial CEO of Tesla and majority owner of X (formerly Twitter), found himself at the center of another social media firestorm after posting and then deleting a provocative statement that seemed to question why there were not more assassination threats against President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The incident occurred in Sunday September 15 2024, during a particularly charged political climate, and sparked a wave of backlash that has once again raised questions about Musk’s judgment and the responsibility of public figures when making inflammatory statements.
The post in question was written by Musk in response to an X user who had commented on an apparent second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. The user asked, “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?” To which Musk replied, “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” ending his comment with a skeptical-looking emoticon.
Musk’s post, visible to his 197.8 million followers, quickly garnered attention, being viewed by at least 1.3 million users, reposted more than 3,000 times, and liked by over 18,000 users in the short period before it was taken down. However, the post drew heavy criticism almost immediately for its cavalier and dangerous tone. While some Musk supporters tried to defend his comments, calling them satirical, others voiced deep concerns over the implicit suggestion of violence and the potential consequences of such remarks in a politically polarized society.
For roughly nine hours, Musk stood by his post, engaging in debates with critics before eventually deleting it. In a follow-up post early Monday morning, Musk attempted to downplay the seriousness of his earlier statement by calling it a failed 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 wrote. Minutes later, he followed up with another post, saying, “Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text.”
Despite his attempt at damage control, the reaction from political figures and social media users alike was swift and unforgiving. The White House condemned Musk’s rhetoric, with spokesperson Andrew Bates releasing a statement on Monday: “As President Biden and Vice President Harris said after yesterday’s disturbing news, ‘there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country,’ and ‘we all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence.’ Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about. This rhetoric is irresponsible.”
The incident also raised larger questions about Muskโs involvement in political discourse and the responsibilities that come with his platform. Musk has long been a vocal and influential figure on social media, with his opinions and comments often having significant real-world impacts. His takeover of X in 2022 brought sweeping changes to the platform, including the introduction of new policies and the firing of key executives, making the site more closely associated with his personal views and leadership style. This latest controversy, however, has fueled concerns about the potential for social media to incite or exacerbate political tensions, particularly in such an unstable time.
Musk’s apparent alignment with Trump has further complicated his public image. Despite feuding with Trump two years ago, Musk has since endorsed the former president and become an ally, going so far as to help fund the pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC. Trump, in turn, has embraced some of Muskโs policy proposals, including one to create a government efficiency commission to rein in federal spendingโa position Musk has repeatedly offered to lead. However, the growing partnership between the two figures only adds to the scrutiny surrounding Musk’s recent comments and his role in fueling political extremism.
The assassination attempt on Trump, which prompted Musk’s controversial post, is also under heavy investigation by the FBI. According to reports, Trump was playing golf at his West Palm Beach club when a gunman, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, was spotted with a rifle about 300 to 500 yards away. The Secret Service intervened, and Trump was safely moved to a secure location. Routh, who is now in custody, made his first court appearance on Monday.
While Trump emerged from the incident unharmed, the attempt marked the second such attack on his life in recent months, further intensifying the already volatile political atmosphere in the United States.
As Musk continues to play a larger role in both tech and political spheres, the consequences of his public statementsโespecially on sensitive subjects like political violenceโare likely to be even more scrutinized in the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election. His reach, influence, and willingness to push boundaries make him both a figure of fascination and concern in the current landscape of American politics.
The Trump campaign has not yet commented on Muskโs post, nor has X or Musk himself responded to requests for further clarification. Regardless, this latest controversy is another example of how Muskโs actions, even those intended as jokes, have the potential to reverberate far beyond their initial context, creating waves in an already unstable political climate.
