Brazil’s Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes on Wednesday warned Elon Musk that his social media app X could be permanently banned in the country if he did not appoint a legal representative within 24 hours. The top court warned that failure to do so could result in the “suspending the social network’s activities.” In response, Musk shared an insulting post about the judge on X. The post included an AI-generated image of Moraes in prison. “One day, Alexandre, this picture of you in prison will be real. Mark my words,” the post reads.

The billionaire shared a few more posts, including one showing the judge’s name on toilet paper, and another mocking an image of the Brazilian judge with an AI photo showing him holding a red lightsaber. Musk joked that Moraes looks like “the child of Voldemort and a Sith Lord.”

Brazilian law requires major online platforms operating in the country to appoint a local legal representative. Tensions have escalated between Elon Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes, especially after Musk’s recent public attack on the judge. Musk accused Moraes of repeatedly violating laws he has a duty to obey, a claim he posted on X, along with a note celebrating X’s status as the top news app on Brazil’s Apple App Store.

The dispute began in April, when Moraes ordered an investigation into X, alleging that the platform harbored accounts spreading misinformation. Initially, X’s global government affairs team complied with a court order to block some accounts in Brazil, but expressed reluctance, citing a lack of clarity on which posts violated the law. Musk later intervened to reinstate the blocked accounts, leading to a direct confrontation with Moraes. In retaliation, Moraes launched an investigation into Musk, accusing him of launching a misinformation campaign and obstruction of justice.

Earlier in the month, X’s global affairs team announced the closure of the company’s offices in Brazil, citing concerns for employee safety, after Moraes reportedly threatened to arrest X’s legal representative if the company did not comply with censorship orders. Despite the office closures, X confirmed that the platform would remain available to users in Brazil. The situation remains tense as the two sides continue their ongoing battle over the platform’s content and legal obligations in Brazil.

The legal battle faced by Elon Musk in Brazil over content moderation on X is part of a broader trend where tech giants are increasingly being scrutinised by governments around the world. A similar case was seen in France, where Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was recently arrested. French authorities accused Durov of failing to effectively monitor and prevent illegal activities on the messaging app. Both cases highlight growing tensions between tech platforms and governments over responsibility for content regulation in the digital space and enforcement of national laws.