Current:Home > FinanceMusk deletes post about Harris and Biden assassination after widespread criticism-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Musk deletes post about Harris and Biden assassination after widespread criticism
lotradecoin compliance View Date:2024-12-26 01:33:21
Elon Musk has deleted a post on his social media platform X in which he said “no one is even trying to assassinate” President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the wake of an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump while he was playing golf.
Musk, who has nearly 200 million followers on the social media site he bought for $44 billion in 2022, has increasingly embraced conservative ideologies in recent years and endorsed Trump for president.
While he has removed posts in the past, Musk has also kept up and even doubled down on other such inflammatory comments. Last week, he made a joke about impregnating Taylor Swift after the singer posted an endorsement for Harris.
Early Monday, after taking down the post about the apparent Trump assassination, the 53-year-old billionaire wrote on the platform: “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.”
The original post was in response to DogeDesigner, one of the 700 accounts that Musk follows, who asked: “Why they want to kill Donald Trump?”
Musk’s reply was quickly condemned by many X users, and “DeportElonMusk” began trending on X on Monday morning.
“Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about,” said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates in response to Musk’s post. “This rhetoric is irresponsible.”
The Tesla CEO has previously posted conspiracy theories and feuded with world leaders and politicians. X is currently banned in Brazil amid a dustup between Musk and a Brazilian Supreme Court judge over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation.
He’s also received criticism in the past for what critics said were posts encouraging violence.
Last month, for instance, the British government called on Musk to act responsibly after he used X to unleash a barrage of posts that officials said risked inflaming violent unrest gripping the country.
Musk said when he bought the platform then known as Twitter that protecting free speech — not money — was his motivation because, as he put it, “having a public platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important to the future of civilization.”
Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute, noted that Musk has long been trying to “push the boundaries of free speech, in part by engaging in impulsive, unfiltered comments on a range of political topics.”
——
Associated Press Writer Chris Megerian contributed to this story from Washington.
veryGood! (68)
Related
- A slain teacher loved attending summer camp. His mom is working to give kids the same opportunity
- Princess Anne Hospitalized With Concussion After Incident at Her Estate
- Summer camps are for getting kids outdoors, but more frequent heat waves force changes
- Hollister's Annual Summer Sale is Here: Get $10 Shorts, $20 Jeans & More Deals Up to 64% Off
- 'Love Island UK' stars Molly-Mae Hague, Tommy Fury announce split after 5 years
- L.A. Olympics official: Leaving Caitlin Clark off 2024 U.S. team 'missed opportunity'
- New photo of Prince William with his children released to mark his birthday
- How Sherri Papini's Kidnapping Hoax Unraveled and What Happened Next
- Usher concert postponed hours before tour opener in Atlanta
- Nintendo Direct: Here's what's coming, including new 'Legend of Zelda,' 'Metroid Prime'
Ranking
- Jim Harbaugh wants to hire Colin Kaepernick to Chargers' coaching staff. Will the QB bite?
- COVID summer wave grows, especially in West, with new variant LB.1 on the rise
- Forget the online rancor, Caitlin Clark helping WNBA break through to fans of all ages
- The New Stanley Tumbler Heat Wave Collection Brings the Summer Vibes With Bold, Vibrant Colors
- Usher concert postponed hours before tour opener in Atlanta
- You can root for Caitlin Clark without tearing other players down
- The Real World's Sarah Becker Dead at 52
- Man trying to drown 2 children on Connecticut beach is stopped by officers, police say
Recommendation
-
Oklahoma city approves $7M settlement for man wrongfully imprisoned for decades
-
Supreme Court will take up state bans on gender-affirming care for minors
-
Rain or shine, Christopher Bell shows mettle in winning USA TODAY 301 NASCAR race
-
Swath of New England placed under tornado watch as region faces severe storms
-
New York county signs controversial mask ban meant to hide people's identities in public
-
Trump will address influential evangelicals who back him but want to see a national abortion ban
-
Bisexuals: You’re valid members of the LGBTQ+ community no matter who you’re dating
-
Prince William brings dad dance moves to 'Shake It Off' at Taylor Swift concert in London