Elon Musk Threatening ‘Consequences’ Sparks Backlash

Story by Natalie Venegas. November 16, 2024.

  • Elon Musk’s Appointment: President-elect Donald Trump announced Elon Musk will lead the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to reduce government bureaucracy and waste.
  • Musk’s Warning: Musk warned of “consequences” for those who pushed “foreign interference hoaxes” in the 2024 election.
  • Foreign Interference Concerns: The FBI and other agencies warned about ongoing foreign interference, particularly from Russia and Iran, aimed at undermining U.S. elections.
  • Public Reactions: Musk’s remarks sparked backlash, with critics accusing him of threatening free speech and political persecution.

Following this year’s presidential election, billionaire Elon Musk has said there will be “consequences” for those who “pushed foreign interference hoaxes” in a post on his social media platform, which sparked backlash on Saturday.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the founder of Tesla and SpaceX would lead what he called the “Department of Government Efficiency” or (DOGE), along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy](https://x.com/vivekgramaswamy), to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.”

No such department exists and the president-elect didn’t offer many details about how it would operate or how it would be staffed, if at all. Trump’s statement said DOGE “will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget.”

However, the appointment of Musk has raised concerns as the billionaire, who frequently posts his political opinions on X, formerly Twitter, which he bought in October 2022, has continued to speak on what he aims to do given his recent appointment.

In a post on X, Musk who seemingly pointed towards concerns over foreign interference in the 2024 election, warned that there will be “consequences” for those who pushed “foreign interference hoaxes.”

“There will be consequences for those who pushed foreign interference hoaxes. The Hammer of Justice is coming,” he wrote on Saturday.

Newsweek has reached out to Musk via X’s email for comment.

While Musk did not specify who he is referring to, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a stark warning about foreign interference in the U.S. elections a day before Election Day, singling out Russia and Iran as the biggest threats

In a joint statement released on November 4, the FBI, in collaboration with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), highlighted ongoing efforts by foreign adversaries—particularly Russia and Iran—to undermine public confidence in the electoral process and sow discord among Americans.

“Since our statement on Friday, the Intelligence Community (IC) has been observing foreign adversaries, particularly Russia, conducting additional influence operations intended to undermine public confidence in the integrity of U.S. elections and stoke divisions among Americans,” the statement read. “The IC expects these activities will intensify through Election Day and in the coming weeks, and that foreign influence narratives will focus on swing states.”

Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the Center for International Policy (CIP), condemned Musk’s remarks writing on X, “Foreign attempts to influence our elections are a well-documented fact. Open threats of political persecution against those who report, base their advocacy, or merely engage in debate on facts with direct impact on our lives and democracy is profoundly un-American and fascist.”

Former Barack Obama staffer and political podcaster, Tommy Vietor, also took to X to condemn Musk.

“America’s new oligarch is threatening to arrest people for saying things he doesn’t like. Free speech absolutist!” he wrote.

Political podcaster Brian Krassenstein wrote on X: “Wait, are you suggesting that people should be arrested for posting their opinions or facts that point to the likelihood of foreign interference? There is no doubt that there’s foreign interference in these elections. This goes for both sides.”

This is not the first time Musk has been challenged over issues related to freedom of speech and suppression.

In August, Musk posted on X: “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of democracy. If the truth is suppressed, it is impossible to make an informed voting decision. The degree to which freedom of speech is being undermined around the world is extremely alarming.”

Musk has made numerous changes to Twitter, including rebranding it as X last year. In addition to altering the logo and name, Musk has changed the site’s functionality by removing article headlines, implementing monthly fees for verified accounts, and offering premium users more characters, among other initiatives.

Some X users have reported that the platform is more divisive and less fact-based than before, while Musk says it has the least restricted speech compared to other popular social media platforms. A report from Columbia Business School published earlier this year revealed that “accounts of fact-checkers and of unbiased media outlets are receiving 52 percent and 27 percent fewer interactions, respectively.”