The White House on Monday decried a now-deleted post by Elon Musk on X as “irresponsible.”
In the Sunday night post — which he made after the second apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump — Musk, who owns the platform, responded to a user who asked, “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?”
In his post, Musk wrote, “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala.”
Following intense backlash, Musk deleted the post and walked it back as a joke early Monday. The post got nearly 40 million impressions before being deleted.
“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,” Musk wrote.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France, June 16, 2023.
Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
“Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text,” he added shortly after.
Responding to the post on Monday, the White House condemned Musk for having “joked about” or even “encouraged” violence.
“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,’ the statement read.
“Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about. This rhetoric is irresponsible,” the White House added.
Musk has endorsed Trump, and Trump has said he would tap Musk to lead a government efficiency commission if elected.
The White House recently issued a strong condemnation of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s controversial post on social media, in which he appeared to make light of the idea of an assassination attempt. The post, which has since been deleted, sparked outrage and concern among many Americans and government officials.
In the now-deleted tweet, Musk wrote, “Wanna buy some Bitcoin?” followed by a winking emoji and a reference to the “assassination of President Kennedy.” The tweet was widely criticized for its insensitivity and lack of regard for the seriousness of such a topic.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki addressed the issue during a press briefing, stating that Musk’s post was “irresponsible and inappropriate” given the current political climate and the heightened tensions surrounding issues of violence and security. She emphasized the need for public figures, especially those with large platforms like Musk, to be mindful of the impact their words can have on others.
The condemnation from the White House comes at a time when social media platforms are facing increased scrutiny over their handling of controversial and harmful content. Many have called on Twitter to take action against Musk for his post, arguing that it crossed a line and could incite violence or harm.
Musk has since apologized for the tweet, stating that it was a “joke” that was “in poor taste.” However, the damage has already been done, and many are still calling for accountability and consequences for his actions.
In conclusion, the White House’s condemnation of Elon Musk’s post serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible communication, especially in today’s digital age where words can spread quickly and have far-reaching consequences. It also highlights the need for public figures to be held accountable for their actions and the impact they have on society.
