Elon Musk found himself in hot water again after quote-tweeting a Tucker Carlson podcast featuring controversial far-right historian Darryl Cooper, who made Holocaust-denying remarks. Musk’s tweet, which praised the interview as “very interesting” and “worth watching,” quickly faced near-universal backlash, prompting him to delete it—an unusual move for the often defiant billionaire. 😶
🚩 What Happened?
Musk’s since-deleted tweet was a response to Tucker Carlson’s podcast featuring Darryl Cooper, who spouted troubling views, including framing Winston Churchill as the “chief villain” of World War II and downplaying the Holocaust without specifically acknowledging its Jewish victims. ⚠️
Critics were quick to point out the antisemitic undertones of the interview. Holocaust denial is illegal in some countries, including Lithuania, where one user highlighted the real danger of minimizing such atrocities. “Rather than finding Holocaust denial ‘interesting,'” the user said, “we find it a massive threat to our safety.” 😠
❌ Musk’s Response (Or Lack Thereof)
Musk later posted a Community Note debunking the historian’s false claims but offered no direct apology or explanation for amplifying the content. Instead, he used the opportunity to promote X’s context tool. This “move-on-without-apologizing” tactic left many feeling unsatisfied, especially given the gravity of the claims Musk helped spread.
Writer David Corn highlighted that Cooper’s Holocaust denial is nothing new, noting his past posts on X (formerly Twitter) that compared the Nazis’ atrocities to far less severe events. Alheli Picazo also called out Cooper’s history of antisemitic comments, further criticizing Musk for giving such harmful voices a platform. 🚫
🧨 A History of Controversial Takes
This isn’t the first time Musk has come under fire for his provocative opinions. In fact, his Holocaust denial tweet came right after he promoted an openly sexist remark about women and leadership, further stoking the flames of outrage. 😡
And @CommunityNotes for the win again pic.twitter.com/yr77G6AUZP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2024
🔍 Why Did Musk Delete the Tweet?
While the reason behind Musk’s decision to delete the tweet remains unclear, it likely stems from the intense backlash he faced—both publicly and possibly internally. Some speculate that X’s legal team or potential advertiser pressure played a role in his decision to backtrack. However, unless someone leaks any behind-the-scenes discussions, we may never know the full story. 🤔
The Takeaway
Musk’s deletion of the tweet is rare but significant, signaling that even the world’s most influential figures aren’t immune to accountability—especially when it comes to spreading dangerous rhetoric. However, the lack of a formal apology has left many wondering if he truly understood the harm caused. 🤷♂️
Stay tuned as Musk continues to push boundaries on X, but at what cost to public discourse?
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