The Secret Service is investigating a since-deleted post on X by Elon Musk in which he wrote Sunday “no one is even trying to assassinate” President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris following two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
The Tesla CEO wrote in a since-deleted post that “no one is even trying to assassinate” Biden or Harris.
2024 Invision
Key Takeaways
- In response to Bloomberg’s Freedom of Information Act request for files the agency has on Musk’s post, the Secret Service said it compiled records “for law enforcement purposes” while noting they are being withheld because their disclosure could “interfere with enforcement proceedings.”
- On Sunday, Musk shared a post on X that asked why people would want to kill Trump and responded, before deleting his post: “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala.”
- Musk later suggested his post was a joke, saying “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 Secret Service reportedly said earlier this week it was “aware” of Musk’s post, adding the agency would not comment on “matters involving protective intelligence” and that it “investigates all threats related to our protectees.”
- Neither Musk nor his attorney Alex Spiro immediately responded to requests for comment.
Chief Critic
The White House condemned Musk’s post: “Violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about. This rhetoric is irresponsible.”
Forbes Valuation
Musk, who owns X and is Tesla’s chief executive, is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $259.6 billion, according to our latest estimates.
Key Background
Musk endorsed Trump in the upcoming presidential election after an assassination attempt against Trump in July and later hosted the former president in an interview on X.
Trump was the target of another attempted assassination Sunday at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump announced earlier this month he would install Musk as the head of a new “government efficiency commission,” which Trump said will be tasked with “conducting a complete financial and performance audit” of the federal government, if elected to a second term. Musk has criticised Biden and Harris in recent months through posts on X and has engaged in other posts about conspiracy theories, including false claims the Biden administration allows undocumented immigrants to vote in elections.
Surprising Fact
The Secret Service has investigated other threats in the past stemming from lyrics, social media posts or comedy routines. In 2017, the agency investigated Marshall Mathers—known as Eminem—for lyrics that appeared to be threats against Trump in his album “Revival,” though the Secret Service declined to take action.
Comedian John Mulaney was investigated by the Secret Service after he made “inappropriate jokes about President Trump” during a monologue on “Saturday Night Live,” the Associated Press reported. The Secret Service determined Mulaney made no direct threats against Trump. Last year, “Dukes of Hazzard” actor John Schneider was investigated by the Secret Service after writing on X that Biden and his son Hunter should be hanged. It is not immediately clear if the investigation has ended.
