Elon walks it back with regret posting about  president Trump

by Phishego Mathipa

In the increasingly heated world of internet politics, Elon Musk is doing uncommon things, publicly apologizing. President Donald J. Trump was the target of a barrage of social media remarks last week that included scathing criticisms and, in some cases, offensive language.  The messages were part of a broader online backlash against Trump’s recent public appearance and commentary on the results of the 2024 election, and they immediately gained steam on X (previously known as Twitter).

However, in a statement released this morning, the original poster recanted his comments, admitting that some of the language had “gone too far.”  The user stated, “Last week, I made some posts about President @realDonaldTrump that I regret. I went too far.”

Elon’s tweets about Trump were emotional and reactive.  Dehumanizing language and personal attacks are two different things from constructive political debate. A wider discussion concerning social media accountability and the boundaries of political discourse in a more divisive setting has been spurred by the reversal.  

A meme of Elon Musk and Donald Trump exercising powers. When ego meets emotions even titans drop their guard a “bro moment”.

image: David Shapiro on X

Although the user’s identity has not been made public, several well-known pundits have commended the message, referring to it as a “mature and necessary step” towards restoring civility in online political discourse. According to Dr Caroline Mills, a media ethicist at Georgetown University, “it is extremely rare to see someone admit they went too far online.”  

“This instance may serve as a reminder that there is a human being with the capacity for both error and reflection behind every handle,” stated Dr Mills.

The apology and the post have not received a public response from the former president.  He continues to criticize policies and the continuing legal issues surrounding the 2024 election cycle on social media.  However, the episode serves as a concise but powerful reminder that, in a day of rapid-fire responses and viral takes, sometimes stepping back can make a bigger impression than the original post.