In the wake of conservative leader Charlie Kirk’s assassination, tech magnate Elon Musk has eschewed calls for national unity, instead urging his substantial online following to “fight” in a series of posts across social media platforms.
While many elected officials have appealed for calm, Musk has taken a different approach. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, with his 226 million followers on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, has made statements such as “fight or die,” though the specific target of this rhetoric remains unclear.
Reports indicate that Musk’s comments have primarily appeared on X, which he owns, as well as in a livestreamed speech to a London rally. NBC News reports that during this address, Musk spoke of impending violence and called for the dissolution of the British Parliament and new elections.
On August 29, Musk urged citizens of the United Kingdom and Ireland to “fight” in relation to issues of mass migration and cultural conflict. This aligns with his previously expressed support for stricter immigration policies in the UK.
Musk has made multiple posts containing phrases like “It’s now or never” and “Fight, fight, fight!” accompanied by militant imagery. In some instances, these calls were linked to discussions about combating what some term the “woke mind virus.”
Musk’s statements have drawn criticism from official quarters. The office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned Musk’s livestreamed speech as “dangerous and inflammatory,” suggesting it could incite “violence and intimidation on our streets.”
This development follows earlier reports that Musk has been at odds with the current U.S. administration and has contemplated forming his own political party. The evidence suggests that in the days following Kirk’s death, Musk has made additional controversial statements, including calls for punitive actions against critics of the late Turning Point USA CEO.
