The U.S. Secret Service confirmed it is aware of a recent post by Elon Musk on the X social media platform, which raised concerns. Musk, who owns the platform formerly known as Twitter, made the post after a man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach.
On Sunday, Musk wrote on X, “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” ending with a raised eyebrow emoji. The post drew criticism from users across the political spectrum, who feared it could incite violence against President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Secret Service, responsible for protecting high-profile officials, took notice of Musk’s post. A spokesperson stated, “The Secret Service is aware of the social media post made by Elon Musk. As a matter of practice, we do not comment on matters involving protective intelligence. We investigate all threats related to our protectees.”
Musk later deleted the post and suggested it was intended as a joke. He commented, “One lesson I’ve learned is that 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. Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context.”
Both Harris and Biden issued statements on Sunday expressing relief that Trump had not been harmed. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about the impact of social media posts on public safety and political discourse.