Elon Musk, who has been infamously dubbed as President-elect Donald Trump’s “Co-President,” has a history of racially questionable behavior. Here are five instances of Musk using his power and influence to promote divisive rhetoric.
1. Defending “Free Speech” On X/Twitter
When Elon Musk acquired Twitter and renamed it X back in 2022, he wasted no time advocating for free speech on the app. Musk, who describes himself as a “free speech absolutist,” had reportedly stated: “Twitter has become kind of the de facto town square, so it’s just really important that people have … both the reality and the perception that they are able to speak freely within the bounds of the law.” According to Associated Press, the increase in hate speech became so bad on the platform that Musk requested nonprofit researchers be penalized for tracking it.
2. Supporting Donald Trump
After Trump won the presidential election in November, Musk became America’s largest political donor. He donated $277 million to back Donald Trump as well as other Republicans, per CBS News. Watchdog groups are worried that this has increased Musk’s access to Trump and will influence the Republican party agenda as Musk is currently the focus of several government investigations. Trump has accused Haitian immigrants in Ohio of eating pets, called Mexicans rapists and have pledged to deport immigrants at record rates. Musk knows what he is doing by aligning himself with this rhetoric.
3. Subscribing To A Pro-Apartheid X Account
According to the Chicago Defender, the tech billionaire is reportedly a paid subscriber to a racist account on X. Musk apparently follows “Boer” (@twatterbaas), a pro-apartheid X account that has constantly shared content racist commentary about South Africa’s Black population and calling for power to be returned to white Africans. Musk, who was raised in South Africa, also pays for Boer’s “bonus content and extra perks” as a subscriber.
4. Posting Racist Images In Response To Elizabeth Warren’s Call For Ethics Standards
Earlier this month, Musk posted racist images of Elizabeth Warren after the Massachusetts senator demanded that President-elect Donald Trump have Musk adhere to ethics standards set for government officials. The Independent reported that Musk went on X to post images that apparently had been made by artificial intelligence to make Warren appear in Native American attire. One of the images depicted Warren wearing a beaded headdress with bird feathers and a buckskin shirt with a leather fringe, while others showed Warren in Native American attire while eating cake and grinning.
5. Praising German Extremists
In December, Musk took to X and described the racist, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as Germany’s last hope. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” he posted on X according to Mother Jones. This statement was in response to Naomi Seibt, a young German right-wing influencer who wrote: “The presumptive next chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is horrified by the idea that Germany should follow Elon Musk’s and Javier Milei’s example.” The AfD garners controversy because many of its leaders are Nazi sympathizers.