Elon Musk recently made headlines for a tweet that he later deleted, in which he claimed that “no one is even trying” to assassinate President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. This comment was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after an alleged assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his golf course in Florida.
Musk, who is known for his close ties to Trump and has indicated he would support a government efficiency commission if Trump were to win re-election, faced significant backlash for his remarks. Critics on the platform interpreted his post, which included a raised eyebrow emoji, as potentially inciting violence against Biden and Harris.
In response to Musk’s comments, the White House condemned the tweet, labeling such rhetoric as “irresponsible.” It emphasized that violence should never be encouraged or joked about and that political violence has no place in the nation.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed they were aware of Musk’s post, stating that they investigate all threats against their protectees but do not typically comment on specific incidents involving protective intelligence.
After deleting his original tweet, Musk reflected on social media about the misunderstanding, suggesting that humor does not always translate well in written form. He acknowledged that when the context is lost, a joke may not resonate as intended. Musk has been vocal in his criticism of Biden and Harris and has supported Trump, particularly following a previous assassination attempt on Trump during a rally in July.