Elon Musk, known for his outspoken opinions, faced intense criticism after posting a controversial comment about Donald Trump’s second assassination attempt. In a now-deleted post, Musk responded to a question about why someone would want to kill Trump, stating, “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” followed by a pondering emoji. This statement quickly drew fire from both political figures and the public.
Criticism from Political Leaders
Political groups and individuals were quick to condemn Musk’s remarks. Grassroots organization DemsMight called the post “literally incitement,” while former Representative Adam Kinzinger urged Musk to “get help,” labeling the comment as “unhinged and dangerous.” David Axelrod, a former adviser to Barack Obama, described the post as “dangerous” and “asinine.”
Musk’s Response and Deletion of the Post
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
Musk deleted the post after acknowledging the criticism, responding to a user who urged him to take it down by saying, “Fair enough. I don’t want to do what they have done, even in jest.” He later attempted to justify his actions, framing the post as a joke gone wrong. “One lesson I’ve learned is that just because something is funny to a group doesn’t mean it works as a post on X,” Musk explained.
Public Reaction and Consequences
Although the post was removed, it had already received over 34 million views and 151,000 likes. Many users called for further clarification, with some insisting that jokes about political assassination are never appropriate. Critics emphasized that, regardless of intent, Musk’s post reached a large audience, sparking concerns about its impact.
FBI and Further Investigation
According to the FBI, the recent assassination attempt on Trump occurred on Sunday night at his West Palm Beach golf course. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was reportedly motivated by dissatisfaction with Trump’s stance on the Ukraine conflict. Routh’s social media accounts, including his X profile, were suspended after the incident.
As investigations continue, Musk’s post has added further controversy to the already high-profile case.