Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has publicly endorsed former President Donald Trump following a shooting incident at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Musk posted his endorsement on X shortly after the incident, during which Trump was rushed off stage by secret service members following gunshots. Musk wrote, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” and shared a photo of Trump with blood on the side of his face, lifting his right fist towards the crowd.
Conspiracy Theories Spread on X
The rally shooting has sparked numerous conspiracy theories on X, with tags such as “false flag” and “staged” trending on the platform, according to The Verge. Users claimed that the assassination attempt was either faked or orchestrated by groups like ANTIFA or the CIA, allegedly sent by President Joe Biden.
Despite these assertions, there is no evidence supporting these claims. Notably, a post suggested that Trump’s security intentionally allowed the shooter to get close, garnering thousands of likes.
Trump’s Condition and Aftermath
Trump was taken to a local medical facility, where he is receiving care. His spokesman stated that the former president “will be fine.” The shooting resulted in the death of one spectator, and another is in serious condition, according to the district attorney in Butler County. The shooter is also confirmed dead by NBC News.
How Is Musk Involved Politically?
In addition to his endorsement, Musk compared Trump to Theodore Roosevelt, who survived an assassination attempt while campaigning for president in 1912.
Musk has been vocal about his opposition to President Joe Biden’s re-election. Although he claimed in March that he would not donate money to either candidate, Bloomberg reported that Musk donated a significant but undisclosed amount to a pro-Trump super PAC called America PAC on Friday.
Other social media platforms responded differently to the shooting. YouTube directed users to credible news reports and verified creators, while Facebook displayed results from news outlets, having removed its trending topics section in 2018. Threads showed some conspiracy-related posts, but these were not consistently at the top of trending topics.
X’s response has been less effective, with the platform promoting conspiracy theories in its trending section. The official X account posted “global town square,” echoing Musk’s original vision of free speech absolutism. However, X did not provide a direct comment.
This incident highlights ongoing issues with moderation on X, especially under Musk’s leadership, which has seen the reinstatement of controversial right-wing accounts like Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate.
The spread of misinformation has led to several high-paying advertisers leaving the platform. Musk’s dismissive attitude towards these advertisers, telling them to “go f*ck yourself,” suggests that X’s misinformation challenges are far from being resolved.
Featured Image courtesy of Marc Piasecki/Getty Images
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