In recent years, Elon Musk has undergone a dramatic transformation from a largely apolitical tech entrepreneur to an outspoken conservative voice on social media.

This shift has significant implications not only for Musk’s public persona but also for X (formerly Twitter), the influential social media platform he bought in 2022 (as well as its users).

Elon Musk’s engagement with political topics on social media has increased exponentially in recent years. An analysis by The Wall Street Journal found that in 2019, Musk posted an average of just 9 times per day on Twitter.

By 2024, that number had skyrocketed to 61 posts per day and many of them touched on partisan subjects like immigration. This surge in activity reflects Musk’s growing willingness to weigh in on political and social issues.

Elon Musk Sided with Trump After Assassination Attempt

The COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant turning point in Musk’s online political activism. In March 2020, he tweeted one of his most famous posts saying that the “coronavirus panic is dumb.” His post managed to get over a million likes, even though the virus would go on to kill over 7 million people.

This post was the first of many viral political tweets that he published. He kept criticizing measures like government-mandated lockdowns and blasted local authorities over reopening Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California.

As Musk became more politically vocal, he increasingly aligned himself with conservative viewpoints. In May 2022, he explicitly stated his intention to vote Republican, citing his perception that the Democratic Party had become too extreme. This shift was accompanied by frequent criticism of “woke” culture. The term appeared in over 400 of Musk’s social media exchanges since 2023.

Musk’s political evolution culminated in his full-throated endorsement of former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. Following the recent assassination attempt on Trump, Musk declared on X: “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.” This move positioned Musk as one of Trump’s most influential supporters in the tech world.

The head of Tesla (TSLA) initially claimed that he planned to donate at least $45 million per month to Trump’s campaign (through Super PACs) to make sure he won the upcoming presidential election. However, he later on clarified that he would be contributing a much lower figure.

Impact on X and Content Moderation

Musk’s outspoken conservative stance has had a notable impact on how X is perceived by different political groups. A Pew Research poll found that the share of Republican users who view the platform as good for democracy roughly tripled in the past three years. Conversely, Democrats’ support for the platform has plummeted during the same period.

While Musk has stated that X will remain a “free speech” platform, concerns have been raised about the potential for content amplification to favor certain political narratives. The opaque nature of X’s recommendation algorithm means that Musk could potentially boost certain types of content over others to subtly promote his preferred political views.

Moreover, X’s content moderation teams have been significantly reduced under Musk’s ownership. This has resulted in concerns about the spread of misinformation and online abuse. The platform has faced criticism for allowing harmful content to proliferate while Musk himself has engaged with and amplified accounts known for spreading misinformation.

Musk is Not Just Influencing US Politics

Musk’s political activism extends beyond US borders. He has developed relationships with extremely controversial international figures such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Argentina’s Javier Milei. These connections raise questions about how Musk’s political allegiances might influence X’s global content policies and user experience.

Meanwhile, another interesting political riff took place when Musk sided with the opposition in Venezuela and questioned the legitimacy of the results of the country’s July presidential election.

Musk claimed that Maduro stole the election (though he is far from the only one to make this claim) and threatened to carry him all the way to Guantanamo “on a donkey.”

Maduro responded by blocking users’ access to X within the country, forcing the population to resort to virtual private networks (VPN) to access the social media platform.

The Unprecedented Position of a Social Media Owner

Musk’s open support for specific political candidates and ideologies represents a significant departure from the traditionally neutral stance adopted by social media company leaders. Unlike Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta Platforms (META), or Jack Dorsey, the founder of former CEO of Twitter, who strived to appear apolitical, Musk has embraced a highly visible and partisan role.

As both the owner of X and a vocal political advocate, Musk occupies an unprecedented position in the social media landscape. This dual role raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the platform’s ability to serve as a neutral ground for political discourse.

The controversial nature of Musk’s unique position became evident when he took to X to comment on the latest incident involving the death of three girls in the United Kingdom after they were stabbed during a dance class.

Musk questioned the country’s immigration policies as the suspect was allegedly a Syrian individual who entered the country illegally and even argued that civil war was inevitable. It turned out that the rumors were false and that the attacker was a regular UK citizen who was born in Wales. Nevertheless, the rumors led to widespread riots across the UK.

Musk also vocally criticized a handful of arrests in the UK following these riots where perpetrators were caught posting extreme threats of violence (and sometimes explicit calls for violence) against immigrants on social media, including one man who advocated for an arson attack on a Leeds hotel. He seemed to think that this was somehow a violation of free speech.

Elon Musk is Scrutinized by Legacy Media for His Controversial Views

Musk’s political evolution has attracted intense media scrutiny. Journalists have reported on various aspects of his personal and professional life, including allegations of drug use, sexual harassment lawsuits, and controversial business practices. In response, Musk has become increasingly critical of traditional media outlets, urging his followers to distrust “legacy” news sources.

Meanwhile, the public’s reaction to Musk’s political activism has been deeply divided. While some conservatives have embraced his posture as a champion of free speech and traditional values, critics argue that his influence over a major social media platform poses a risk to democracy and how information is disseminated fairly.

In any case, Elon Musk‘s transformation from a primarily business-focused tech leader to a politically active conservative voice represents a significant shift in the social media landscape.

As the owner of X, his personal views and public statements have far-reaching implications for the platform’s content moderation policies, user demographics, and the public’s perception of political and social issues like abortion, gender, climate change, and racism.

The unprecedented nature of Musk’s position – simultaneously a tech billionaire, social media platform owner, and outspoken political figure – raises important questions about the future of online discourse and the role of social media in shaping the public’s opinion on these and other important matters.