ELON MUSK Champions Free Speech On X
— Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), has increasingly used the platform to amplify his political views and those of right-wing figures. Musk’s actions align with his 2022 statement that he bought Twitter to protect free speech. He believes a public platform for free speech is crucial for civilization’s future.
Musk often discusses existential threats like population collapse and artificial intelligence, framing threats to free speech as another crisis. He sees X as a “digital town square” where vital issues are debated. In the U.S., Musk has shared memes and sometimes misinformation about illegal immigration, election fraud, and transgender policies while endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential bid.
In May 2023, Musk co-hosted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid announcement on X, which faced technical issues but highlighted his vision for the platform. Despite the glitches, Musk invited other candidates to use X for their announcements.
Trump accepted and had an interview with Musk that also experienced technical difficulties but eventually took place after a 42-minute delay.