Musk, Holder of 'Most Followers on X,' Mocks Opposition Again: "Weaponization of Social Media"

Calling Journalists "Criminals" and Chuck Schumer "Hysterical"
Criticisms Posted on X... Leading the Spread of Fake News
Rising Influence of SNS Without an Official DOGE Channel

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is watching the men's singles final on the last day of the US Open tennis tournament held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, USA, on April 8, 2024 (local time). The New York Times (NYT) criticized Musk, head of the U.S. Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), on the 4th (local time) for using his massive social networking service (SNS) account, X (formerly Twitter), which he created, as a weapon. / EPA·Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap News

Elon Musk, head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and CEO of Tesla, is reportedly using his massive social networking service (SNS) account, X (formerly Twitter), as a weapon, the New York Times (NYT) criticized on the 4th (local time).

The NYT stated, "As Musk wages a war to cut government spending and dismantle the federal bureaucracy, he is utilizing a powerful tool that no previous official has had," pointing out, "That is, through his enormous social media platform, he mocks, shames, and pressures opposing forces."

As examples, the NYT cited Musk describing journalists who revealed the names of his collaborators and X users as "committing crimes," and calling Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader of the U.S. Democratic Party, "hysterical." Musk also criticized Treasury officials by saying they are "breaking the law every hour, every day."

On the 3rd, Musk celebrated his achievements by posting on X that he had "put USAID (United States Agency for International Development) into the shredder." On the 4th, he posted a poll asking, "Does DOGE want to audit the IRS?" and put it to a vote. Especially since DOGE does not communicate directly with the media through any official channels, Musk's SNS account is gaining even more power.

Musk's social influence, with over 200 million followers, is also a cause for concern. As of this day, Musk has more than 215 million followers, more than double that of Donald Trump (103 million). Musk also holds the record for the most followers on X.

The NYT noted, "Musk began turning X into a political megaphone when he acquired the company in October 2022," adding, "Within a year, he became the individual with the most followers on X, and engagement with his posts exploded."

It further stated, "Currently, Musk is rapidly pushing to reorganize at least six federal agencies to cut government budgets, directly challenging the authority of Congress," and added, "There are also concerns that he may be violating legal protections for federal employees."

Across the U.S., criticism is mounting that DOGE is ignoring laws and procedures. Starting with USAID, the U.S. foreign aid agency, DOGE is aggressively dismantling multiple federal agencies and implementing policies to reduce hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

The Washington Post (WP), based on information obtained from more than 24 current and former officials, reported, "There are concerns that Musk's actions may violate federal laws in at least six federal agencies and departments." These six agencies include the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Department of Education, USAID, General Services Administration (GSA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).