Elon Musk posted twice as often on UK race and immigration as about SpaceX before IPO
Elon Musk made 303 posts on race and immigration, mostly about the UK, compared to 114 on SpaceX in the lead-up to the aerospace company's IPO. The British PM accused him of inciting division.
Musk's Focus on UK Politics
Elon Musk, the world's richest person, has been heavily engaged with UK politics on his social media platform X, particularly on issues of race and immigration. A Guardian analysis of his posts, replies, and reposts from May 31 to June 12 found that he posted 303 times on these topics, while only 114 times about SpaceX – the aerospace and AI company he also owns, which had its initial public offering (IPO) on June 12.
This period coincided with heightened tensions in the UK following the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa for the murder of teenager Henry Nowak, which sparked claims of "anti-white" policing and far-right protests. Additionally, violent riots erupted in Belfast after a knife attack. While UK ministers appealed for calm, Musk was actively posting about the events.
SpaceX IPO Takes Backseat
Despite the significance of SpaceX's IPO – which raised $85.7 billion on the Nasdaq – Musk's X activity was dominated by UK politics. The night before the listing, he reposted a video by far-right Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe calling for the deportation of migrants unable to support themselves. That day, Musk made nearly a dozen posts on UK immigration and politics, musing on multiculturalism and the failures of the West.
Government and Expert Reactions
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Musk of trying to whip up division, stating that Britons are reasonable and tolerant people who react calmly, as shown by Henry Nowak's family. Experts like Dr. Michael Vaughan from the London School of Economics noted that Musk's immense wealth and ties to far-right figures like Tommy Robinson give fringe groups legitimacy and distort democratic politics. The Centre for Countering Digital Hate found that Musk's amplification of Lowe and Robinson contributed 64 million views to their posts.
