Elon Musk has faced backlash after a now-deleted tweet in which he claimed that “no one is even trying” to assassinate President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. The tech billionaire, known for his close ties to Donald Trump, posted the comment on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after an alleged assassination attempt against Trump at his golf course in Florida on Sunday.
The U.S. Secret Service has stated it is “aware” of Musk’s post, which many users criticized as incitement against the leaders. Accompanying the tweet was a raised eyebrow emoji, further exacerbating the reaction. The White House condemned Musk’s remarks, labeling the rhetoric as “irresponsible,” and emphasized that violence should never be endorsed or joked about.
In response to the criticism, Musk deleted the tweet and said it was meant as a joke, noting that humor does not always translate well in written form without context. He reflected on the situation, saying he learned that just because a comment is amusing in conversation doesn’t mean it will be perceived the same way online.
Musk has been a vocal supporter of Trump, especially following a previous assassination attempt against the former president at a rally in Pennsylvania in July, which resulted in injuries and a fatality. Since then, he has frequently expressed criticism toward Biden and Harris while backing Trump.