Musk removes posts around Harris, Biden assassination following widespread condemnation
Date
9/17/2024 5:41:16 AM
(MENAFN) Elon Musk recently deleted a controversial post on his social media platform X, where he claimed that “no one is even trying to assassinate” President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This comment came in the wake of an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, which occurred while Trump was on the golf course. Musk, who purchased X for USD44 billion in 2022 and has nearly 200 million followers, has recently leaned towards conservative ideologies and endorsed Trump for the presidency.
Musk’s removal of the post follows a pattern where he occasionally retracts or modifies inflammatory statements, although he has also been known to stand by or amplify other controversial remarks. For example, just last week, he made a provocative joke about impregnating Taylor Swift after she posted an endorsement for Harris. Early Monday, after removing the post about the apparent Trump assassination, Musk reflected on his decision, noting on X: “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.”
The original post was a response to a question from DogeDesigner, one of the accounts Musk follows, who inquired why there was a desire to kill Trump. Musk's comment quickly faced backlash from many users on X, leading to the trending of “DeportElonMusk” on the platform. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates condemned the post, stating, “Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about,” and labeled Musk's rhetoric as irresponsible.
Musk has a history of posting conspiracy theories and engaging in public disputes with global leaders and politicians. Currently, X is banned in Brazil due to a conflict between Musk and a Brazilian Supreme Court judge regarding free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. Musk has also faced criticism for posts that critics argue encourage violence. For instance, last month, the British government called on him to act responsibly after he used X to share posts that officials believed could exacerbate violent unrest in the country.
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