PITTSBURGH, PA- During a town hall discussion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, X owner and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded to reports that the left-leaning German publication Der Spiegel named the entrepreneur as "Public Enemy No. 2," second only to President Donald Trump. As a result of the "vitriolic hatred on the left," which Musk said left him a "little shook," he will be increasing his security.
As reported by Fox News, in an apparent nod to the Dallas assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 Musk told town hall attendees, "I’m definitely upgrading my security. Guess I better cancel that open-car parade."
Discussing the cover-story op-ed from Der Spiegel, Musk told the audience, "I’m like, enemy number 2 of what? Uh, democracy? I mean I’m pro-democracy. I’m literally trying to uphold the Constitution and ensure we have a free and fair election."
In a post to X, Musk addressed the op-ed directly, writing, "With their relentless hit pieces, legacy mainstream media are actively encouraging the assassination of @realDonaldTrump and now me."
He told the cheering crowds, “So, dramatically increasing my risk of being assassinated and engaging in politics are not what I want to do. I do not have a death wish, but the stakes are so high that I really feel I have no choice but to do it, and that's that's the reason.”
The lengthy piece from the German outlet, hidden behind a paywall is an unflattering 30-minute portrait of Musk with stories drawn from a disgruntled former employee, and former friends interlaced with objectively left-biased criticisms of his political positions that paint him as near megalomaniacal. The article (translated) writes that Musk "reversed Trump's ban after the takeover (of Twitter.)"
The four writers who penned it go on to say, "With him as the owner, the presidential candidate (Trump) now has a free rein and hardly has to fear any more reprisals. Quite the opposite. If Harris wins, Musk recently said, he's 'fucked' - which, conversely, can be interpreted as a free pass for the ex-president: Musk would not stop anything that could bring down Harris. Quite the opposite."
They finally ask, "And what happens if Musk intervenes directly, using his social media power to mobilize for a second storming of the Capitol?"
In a follow up article the publication, rather than addressing Musk's concerns, doubled down writing "SPIEGEL stands by its reporting."
The outlet stated (translated), "The SPIEGEL report sheds light on the enormous concentration of power in the hands of Elon Musk as the owner of several companies, as well as his support of Donald Trump. It traces Musk's radicalization from a celebrated and successful businessman to a political loudmouth who repeatedly attracts attention with misleading and false messages before the US election. The report also draws on numerous statements by Musk himself or statements by former employees and analyzes the extent to which these can be viewed as attacks on liberal democracy."
As reported by Fox News, in an apparent nod to the Dallas assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 Musk told town hall attendees, "I’m definitely upgrading my security. Guess I better cancel that open-car parade."
Discussing the cover-story op-ed from Der Spiegel, Musk told the audience, "I’m like, enemy number 2 of what? Uh, democracy? I mean I’m pro-democracy. I’m literally trying to uphold the Constitution and ensure we have a free and fair election."
"They claim they’re tolerant. And yet, they’re incredibly intolerant and spewing hate," Musk continued. "Whereas on the right I see people who tend to regard people on the left as, well, misguided. But they don’t hate them… but the amount of hate coming from the left is like, wow, next level."
A German magazine has labeled Elon Musk 'Public Enemy No. 2' and that makes Trump 'Public Enemy No. 1' for supporting democracy and free speech?
— SMX 🇺🇸 (@iam_smx) October 20, 2024
In response to the rising hostility, Elon is upgrading his security to the fullest extent.
"I am definitely upgrading my security." pic.twitter.com/2bNV24aM6N
In a post to X, Musk addressed the op-ed directly, writing, "With their relentless hit pieces, legacy mainstream media are actively encouraging the assassination of @realDonaldTrump and now me."
With their relentless hit pieces, legacy mainstream media are actively encouraging the assassination of @realDonaldTrump and now me https://t.co/rHPrF6HlYZ pic.twitter.com/fuPrWUqS3X
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2024
He told the cheering crowds, “So, dramatically increasing my risk of being assassinated and engaging in politics are not what I want to do. I do not have a death wish, but the stakes are so high that I really feel I have no choice but to do it, and that's that's the reason.”
The lengthy piece from the German outlet, hidden behind a paywall is an unflattering 30-minute portrait of Musk with stories drawn from a disgruntled former employee, and former friends interlaced with objectively left-biased criticisms of his political positions that paint him as near megalomaniacal. The article (translated) writes that Musk "reversed Trump's ban after the takeover (of Twitter.)"
The four writers who penned it go on to say, "With him as the owner, the presidential candidate (Trump) now has a free rein and hardly has to fear any more reprisals. Quite the opposite. If Harris wins, Musk recently said, he's 'fucked' - which, conversely, can be interpreted as a free pass for the ex-president: Musk would not stop anything that could bring down Harris. Quite the opposite."
They finally ask, "And what happens if Musk intervenes directly, using his social media power to mobilize for a second storming of the Capitol?"
In a follow up article the publication, rather than addressing Musk's concerns, doubled down writing "SPIEGEL stands by its reporting."
The outlet stated (translated), "The SPIEGEL report sheds light on the enormous concentration of power in the hands of Elon Musk as the owner of several companies, as well as his support of Donald Trump. It traces Musk's radicalization from a celebrated and successful businessman to a political loudmouth who repeatedly attracts attention with misleading and false messages before the US election. The report also draws on numerous statements by Musk himself or statements by former employees and analyzes the extent to which these can be viewed as attacks on liberal democracy."
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Comments
2024-10-23T03:11+0530 | Comment by: Rodger
Der Spiegel is a trash magazine. It was the same when I served in the military for two years in Germany in the early 60s.