Since rebranding Twitter as X in 2022, Elon Musk has constantly used the platform to express his views, often creating controversy in the process. The billionaire, known for his contributions to space exploration, electric vehicles, and cryptocurrencies, has also earned a reputation for sharing inflammatory and provocative statements. Here are five of his most controversial posts on X, ranging from comments on political figures to conspiracy theories.
1. Musk questions the lack of assassination attempts on Biden and Harris
Musk reacted to the alleged assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump by questioning why no one is targeting President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. Following reports that Secret Service agents foiled an attack on Trump at a Florida golf course, Musk responded to a post that asked, “Why would they want to kill Donald Trump?” with the disturbing reply, “And no one is trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala.”
The post sparked a firestorm of criticism for its careless tone and dangerous implications. Elon Musk later tried to undo the damage in another post: “Well, one lesson I’ve learned is that just because I said something in front of a group and they laughed, doesn’t mean it’s going to be as funny as a post on X.”
2. Promoting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory
In November 2023, Musk found himself surrounded by controversy after he endorsed a post that cited the widely discredited “Great Replacement” theory. The theory claims that Jewish people and other minorities are planning to “replace” the white population through immigration, leading to a so-called “white genocide.”
Musk’s response, in which he described the user’s statement as the “actual truth”, was widely condemned. Though he later admitted his endorsement was “stupid”, the damage was done.
3. Promoting the ‘Pizzagate’ conspiracy
The “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, a false narrative claiming that prominent Democrats run a child trafficking ring out of a Washington, D.C. pizza restaurant, resurfaced on Musk’s feed in late November 2023.
On November 28, Musk posted a meme referencing the theory, including dialogue from The Office TV show. “Sounds a little suspicious,” Musk wrote in the now-deleted post.
4. Support of questionable war details
After the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in Gaza in October 2023, Musk ran into trouble after recommending two X accounts for real-time coverage of the war. Both accounts had previously been criticised for sharing misinformation, including an AI-generated image of an explosion at the Pentagon. One of these had also posted several anti-Semitic comments in recent months.
Although Musk deleted the post following a strong backlash, the incident raised concerns about his role in the rampant spread of misinformation on X.
5. A dig at Taylor Swift
When pop superstar Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Musk responded immediately. Swift ended her post by calling her a “childless cat lady,” to which Musk sarcastically replied: “Ok Taylor… you won… I’ll give you a baby and protect your cats with my life.”
The bizarre response came after Musk agreed with a user, saying Swift’s endorsement matches demographic trends of single women supporting Democrats, which was deemed inappropriate and unfair. While some found the exchange humorous, many Swift fans and political commentators condemned Musk’s comments, calling them tasteless and offensive.
Musk’s daughter Vivian Wilson publicly took aim at him on X. Vivian, 20, wrote in support of the pop star on Instagram threads, “The timing of Taylor Swift endorsing Kamala Harris really couldn’t be better. Can’t wait to see the Swifties at the polling stations! Vote blue.”
