Elon Musk was the subject of an alleged assassination plot last year. This concerned his father Errol Musk who was alarmed regarding his son's safety at the time. However, the tables have turned recently.
Now, the tech billionaire has a joke he posted on X about the assassination of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. However, people are quick to criticize the tycoon's now-deleted post.
Background: Incident Involving Donald Trump
According to NBC News, Musk's joke came not long after the FBI started looking into what happened to Donald Trump. Someone shot at Trump while he was at his golf course in Florida.
Luckily, Trump wasn't hurt. The person who fired the shots was caught and charged with having a gun even though he was not allowed to and with tampering with the gun's serial number.
This wasn't the only recent attack on Trump. In July, at a rally in Pennsylvania, another person shot Trump in the ear and died during the incident. More people are starting to worry about the safety of important leaders in the country.
Musk's Reaction and Public Outcry
Regarding the tweet, it says there that "no one is even trying to assassinate" Biden or Harris.
According to ABCNews, the joke was Musk's response to someone on X asking, "Why do people want to kill Donald Trump?"
Musk, who took over X in 2022, often shares thoughts on politics. He sometimes spreads ideas that aren't true. Musk supports Trump strongly, but many felt this comment crossed a line.
Others saw it as something more dangerous, sparking a trending hashtag: "#DeportElonMusk." People pointed out that Musk was born in South Africa. A lot of those angry at him mentioned his opinions on U.S. immigration.
Demand for Musk to Be Held Responsible
Tech writer Kara Swisher, who often criticizes Musk, warned that his actions need to be taken seriously. She reminded people that Musk works closely with the U.S. government and even holds security clearances.
Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024
Swisher said Musk should be checked by authorities for this behavior and shared a screenshot of his deleted joke.
Some critics took it very seriously. They thought it might lead others to violent thoughts. They argue that Musk's high profile and connection to the government adds to the risk when he shares such jokes.
White House Response
The White House didn't find the joke funny at all. A spokesperson called it "irresponsible." They said that even jokes about trying to hurt leaders are never okay. The official message was clear that all violence should always be condemned and never joked about.
President Biden and Vice President Harris also addressed the broader issue of political violence following the recent incident involving Trump. Both reiterated that there is no room for political violence in America and called on the public to play a role in preventing further escalation.
Musk's Interaction with Donald Trump Jr.
In a related development, Musk responded to a post from Donald Trump Jr. on X, where Trump Jr. criticized the media and Democratic leaders for allegedly inciting violence against his father.
Musk echoed these sentiments, writing, "The incitement to hatred and violence against President Trump by the media and leading Democrats needs to stop."
