US Secret Service responds to Elon Musk's controversial post on Biden, Harris

The US Secret Service has confirmed its awareness of a contentious social media post made by tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The post, which Musk has since deleted, stated that “no one is even trying” to assassinate President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. Musk described the remark as a joke, but it has ignited significant controversy.

The timing of Musk’s post—shortly after a suspected assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course—has heightened scrutiny. Musk, a staunch ally of Trump, had previously endorsed him and expressed support for Trump’s proposed “government efficiency commission” should Trump win a second term.

Critics on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to denounce Musk’s comments, accusing him of inciting violence against current U.S. leaders. The White House condemned the remarks as “irresponsible,” emphasizing that “violence should not be condoned, never encouraged or joked about.”

In response to inquiries, the Secret Service stated, “As a matter of practice, we do not comment on matters involving protective intelligence. We can say, however, that the Secret Service investigates all threats related to our protectees.”

Following the backlash, Musk attempted to clarify his intent, noting, “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.” He added, “Turns out that jokes are way less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is in plain text.”

Musk’s recent activity has included vocal support for Trump and criticism of Biden and Harris, especially in the wake of an earlier assassination attempt against Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.