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From Tesla to Grok and SpaceX to DOGE, billionaire Elon Musk’s influence has been felt across plenty of industries. But, as well as he is known for his many business ventures, he’s also been known for causing his fair share of controversy.
Recently, he’s been no stranger to wading into politics in several countries around the world and has been extremely vocal about issues such as immigration, gender identity and has even shared disinformation to his hundreds of millions of followers on X/Twitter.
From the ridiculous to the frightening, here are the stupidest things Elon Musk has potentially ever said.
“His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler!”
After Musk was slammed in January 2025 for appearing to give a Nazi salute during a speech celebrating the inauguration of Donald Trump, he made shockingly light of the ensuing outrage by using word-play featuring the names of people in the Nazi Party,
In a post on X/Twitter, he said: “Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down!
“Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming.”
He wants more positive posts on X/Twitter
It beggars belief, but Musk – the man who allowed people like Donald Trump, Andrew Tate, Katie Hopkins and Tommy Robinson (aka Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) back on X/Twitter – said he wanted the platform to have “more positive, beautiful or informative content”.
Instead, it seems to have become a cesspool of far-right content and disinformation, with many companies opting to withdraw their advertising on the platform.
Suggested the “woke mind virus killed” his child
In response to his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, being mentioned in a New York Post article and correctly referenced as a woman, Musk claimed that, “The woke mind virus killed my son”, misgendering his own child.
Clapping back at her father, Wilson wrote on rival platform Threads: “I’m legally recognised as a woman in the state of California and I don’t concern myself with the opinions of those who are below me.”
Claimed he does not use a computer
As one of the richest tech entrepreneurs on the planet, you’d think it would be completely outlandish to suggest that Elon Musk doesn’t use a computer, but that’s exactly what the billionaire’s attorney claimed.
It came in relation to Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI when a filing from Musk’s lawyer to the presiding judge read: “Plaintiffs sent Defendants a letter informing them that Plaintiffs were conducting searches of Mr. Musk’s mobile phone, having searched his emails, and that Mr. Musk does not use a computer.”
This, despite many posts on X/Twitter in which Musk posted about, and even shared images, of the laptop he uses.
Suggested every politician has done a ‘Nazi salute’ gesture
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
Musk sparked huge controversy in January when he made a gesture at a celebration for Trump’s inauguration that many say resembled a ‘Nazi salute’.
He denied that the gesture he made – putting his hand on his chest then straightening his arm out in front of him with his palm facing down – was a Nazi salute.
“Every politician or speaker... has made the exact same gesture and yet there are still people out there, and I've never harmed a single person,” Musk claimed.
He later hung up his political hat.
Compared himself to Buddha
When speaking about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) earlier this year, Musk compared himself to Buddha, the enlightened teacher and spiritual leader who founded Buddhism.
When asked about what would happen when he stepped back from the department, Musk replied: “Is Buddha needed for Buddhism? Was it not stronger after he passed away?”
He then suggested, “DOGE is a way of life. Like Buddhism”.
Cringey hat gag
Ever the aspiring jokester and meme king, Musk’s hat gag saw him giggling away with barely-suppressed glee. It took place during a cabinet meeting in which he wore two caps, one of which had the words “Gulf of America” written on it.
“Well Mr President, they say I wear a lot of hats. Even my hat has a hat,” Musk told Donald Trump.
Amplified conspiracy that hit TV show Adolescence is “anti-white”
The creators of Adolescence were forced to hit back at criticism after Musk promoted a claim that the powerful Netflix series is “anti-white propaganda”.
Musk commented “Wow” on a conspiracy theory about the origins of the show, further amplifying its reach on X/Twitter.
Jack Thorne, who co-created the show with actor Stephen Graham, said in an interview: “They’ve claimed that Stephen and I based it on a story, and another story, so we race-swapped because we were basing it on here and it ended up there, and everything else. Nothing is further from the truth.”
Called Tim Waltz a “jerk” and a “creep”
Musk may not be quite so good at taking it as he is dishing it out, as the billionaire called Governor of Minnesota Tim Waltz a “jerk” after he poked fun at Tesla’s collapsing stock prices.
“What an evil thing to do—what a creep, what a jerk. Like, who derives joy from that?” free speech advocate Musk said.
Claimed the show SNL is “dying”
After the cast of late-night comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live did an impression of him, Musk seemed to have had his feelings hurt as he hit back about the fate of the show on X/Twitter.
In a post he claimed: “SNL has been dying slowly for years, as they become increasingly out of touch with reality.”
SNL is currently on its 51st season.
Suggested he has never seen Trump do anything “mean” or “morally wrong”
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
When Musk made the claim he has never witnessed convicted felon and US president Trump do anything “morally wrong”, the internet let out a collective laugh.
In an interview on Fox News, Musk was asked what’s something people wouldn’t know about Trump.
Musk responded: “He’s a good man. He’s an honest man. I have yet to see him do anything mean or anything that is wrong. That I would say morally wrong. Not even once.”
Declared himself a “free speech absolutist”
Musk has built a large platform of loyal followers partly on his rhetoric about being a defender of free speech and a “free speech absolutist”. That would be well and good if his actions didn’t consistently go against that.
Despite claiming “cancel culture is canceled”, Musk has recently called for people to “Cancel Netflix”. Not only that, but his platform X/Twitter has been accused of shadow-banning accounts that are critical of him, restricting tweets using the word “cisgender” and banning the accounts of people who were organising protests.
Made transphobic claims the same day his daughter called him a “pathetic man-child”
On the same day that a Teen Vogue interview with his trans daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, went live, in which she called him a “pathetic man-child” and revealed she hasn’t spoken to her father since 2020, Musk went on a transphobic rant on X/Twitter.
“He’s a pathetic man-child,” Wilson said. “Why would I feel scared of him?”
Though he didn’t directly reference the piece, Musk took to social media to claim “hormone injections cause extreme emotional volatility”.
Discovery of “magic money computers”
Getty
While working at DOGE, Musk made the bizarre claim that the agency had discovered 14 “magic money computers” that are able to send US funds anywhere in the world. The strange remark came during an appearance on the Verdict podcast with Senator Ted Cruz.
“They’re mostly at the Treasury, some are at HHS, one or two at State, there's some at DOD, I think we've found 14 magic money computers,” Musk said.
He continued: “They just send money out of nothing.”
According to experts, what Musk was talking about was the principles of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).
He once “challenged Putin” to a fight
Musk made the claim that he once challenged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to physical combat over the Ukraine war which Russia is waging.
He claimed on X/Twitter: “I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off.”
Claimed Britain’s NHS job adverts are example of “the woke mind virus”
South-African born Musk seems to love getting involved in the politics of other countries and, sadly, the UK is no exception.
Musk once again referenced the fictional “woke mind virus”, this time in relation to NHS job adverts after a claim was made on X/Twitter that there were a large number of open DEI roles within the health service.
Musk claimed: “The woke mind virus propagates like cordyceps through government and corporations.”
Sadly for his agenda, it was pointed out that “not all of the roles are” DEI and others “simply include phrases relating to it in the job description”.
That's not even mentioning all the stupid memes Musk has posted on X in his time, either...
“The [UK] government is committing treason against the people”
Back in September 2025, Musk shared a post by someone who claimed that the UK police should think about “the Nuremberg trials” and how, after WWII, it was established that a person arguing they were just following orders from a superior or their government “does not relieve him from responsibility under international law”.
Musk shared the post and added, “‘Just following orders’ is not an acceptable defense.”
He later went on a rant about immigration in the UK, making the false claim that the British Labour party is “importing” voters, writing: “The Labor Party goal is destruction of democracy by importing voters and bribing them with benefits paid for by British citizens.”
Musk’s apparent fixation with the goings-on in Britain comes after he claimed to be the reason President Donald Trump was elected in the US, on a similar anti-immigration stance.
Getty
“The Left is the party of murder”
Elon Musk has been slammed over his “dangerous” message after right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was fatally shot.
31-year-old Kirk, a political activist and Donald Trump ally, was hosting a college campus debate event at Utah Valley University in Orem when he was shot from between 100 to 200 yards away with a bullet that struck his carotid artery.
However, Elon Musk was slammed over his “dangerous” messaging in the immediate aftermath back in September 2025.
In a post on X/Twitter to his 225.7 million followers, Musk claimed: “The Left is the party of murder.”
“You either fight back or you die”
An estimated 110,000 to 150,000 people gathered in London on Saturday (13 September) for the 'Unite the Kingdom' rally, organised by far-right figure Tommy Robinson, where Elon Musk joined via video link.
He went on to address what he called "the reasonable centre" to protestors – people who "ordinarily wouldn’t get involved in politics, who just want to live their lives. They don’t want that, they’re quiet, they just go about their business."
"My message is to them: if this continues, that violence is going to come to you, you will have no choice," he said.
"You’re in a fundamental situation here. Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you.
"You either fight back or you die, that’s the truth, I think."
“[Billie Eilish is] not the sharpest tool in the shed”
As well as being a Grammy-winning artist, Billie Eilish is known for being a social media activist - and it would appear Musk wasn't happy with her calling him out over his wealth.
Eilish shared some food for thought with her 124 million followers, reposting a string of posts from activist group 'My Voice, My Choice'. The posts laid out what Musk, who’s on track to become the world’s first trillionaire, could actually do with his money to help the world and the economy.
According to the group, it takes around $40 billion a year to end world hunger by 2030, $1–2 billion annually to save all 10,443 critically endangered species, and about $53 billion for a full rebuild of Gaza.
Then came the final slide, set against a black backdrop, where the ‘Birds of a Feather’ singer straight-up called Musk a "f***ing pathetic p***y b**** coward".
His response? "She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed."
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Will’s coming out scene in Stranger Things is “completely unnecessary and forced”
It would appear Billie Eilish isn't Musk's only pop culture interest either, making his feelings known about the final season of Stranger Things; in particular, one scene where Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) comes out as gay to his friends.
Responding to another X/Twitter user who shared the clip from the episode, Musk wrote: “It’s completely unnecessary and forced on audiences who just want to enjoy some basic sci-fi.”
“South Africa won’t allow Starlink to be licensed, even though I was BORN THERE, simply because I am not Black!”
South-Africa-born Musk slammed his home country’s government in a X/Twitter post on Sunday (12 April) for allegedly denying Starlink an operating licence and blamed post-apartheid rules, designed to redress historical injustices, for Starlink being unable to obtain a licence.
In a lengthy post on X/Twitter, he wrote: “South Africa won’t allow Starlink to be licensed, even though I was BORN THERE, simply because I am not Black!
“We were offered many times the opportunity to bribe our way to a license by pretending that a Black guy runs Starlink SA, but I have refused to do so on principle.
“Racism should not be rewarded no matter to which race it is applied.
“Shame on the racist politicians in South Africa. They should be shown no respect whatsoever anywhere in the world and shunned for being unashamedly RACISTS!”
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa enforces licensing requirements and claims that it is not racism, but Starlink failing to submit a formal application that is compliant within the rules is the issue.
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