Elon Musk has caused a stir by taking over the @America handle on X, previously used to promote his political action committee (PAC) supporting Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential race. The move comes after Musk’s appearance alongside Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Musk has changed the bio on X to direct followers to the @America account, stating, “Read @America to understand why I’m supporting Trump for President.”
The @America handle was reportedly inactive since 2020 and has now been reassigned to @America123_12. Musk’s @America page features posts endorsing Trump, with one stating, “There is only one candidate in this race who is on the right side of these issues: Donald J. Trump.” This shift in content has led to accusations that X has become a “pro-MAGA” platform, despite Musk’s previous claims that the platform would remain politically neutral.
Critics suggest that Musk’s PAC is using the @America handle to propagate divisive political messages, with one commenter stating, “The ‘America’ handle is now run by Elon Musk’s PAC, and it is already trying to turn people against their neighbors by stirring fears about immigrants.” X’s policies allow for reclaiming inactive usernames, which Musk has utilised to promote his political agenda.
This is not the first time Musk has taken over a username, as he previously seized the handle @X from its former owner. Reports suggest that Musk plans to invest significant funds in the super PAC supporting Trump, with notable backers including Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale and the Winklevoss twins. Musk’s appearance at Trump’s rally saw him make controversial statements, including an unfounded claim that Democrats were planning to eliminate elections in the US.
During the rally, Trump introduced Musk as the man who “saved free speech” and praised his contributions to space exploration through SpaceX. Musk echoed Trump’s sentiments by emphasising the importance of the upcoming election and declaring that “President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution” and democracy in America. With Musk’s increasing involvement in political advocacy, concerns are growing over the impact of his influence on social media platforms like X.
The original @America user has not responded to Musk’s takeover of the handle, but the move reflects Musk’s assertive approach to promoting his political views. As the controversy continues to unfold, questions remain about the boundaries between personal expression and corporate influence in the digital age.
The Independent has reached out to X for comment on the situation.