Elon Musk Gets Death Threats — Story Behind His Cryptic Tweet
Elon Musk's Twitter post saying that he might "die under mysterious circumstances" caused a firestorm on the social media site. Is Musk getting death threats?
May 9 2022, Published 2:01 p.m. ET
Although Elon Musk has a reputation for saying some odd things on Twitter, his recent post saying that he might "die under mysterious circumstances" has caused a firestorm of concern on the social media site that he now owns. Is Musk getting death threats?
Fans responded to Musk's cryptic tweet with several theories about what he was referring to, including that he may be the next person associated with Bill and Hillary Clinton to meet a mysterious demise.
Some comments from a Russian official sound like a threat.
However, a further look at Musk's recent tweets indicates that his tweet may have more to do with the Russians. Musk also shared a tweet he claims Russia's former deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin shared with the Russian media. Rogozin's message states Musk is "involved in supplying the fascist forces in Ukraine" with his Starlink satellite internet company.
"From the testimony of the captured commander of the 35th Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Dmitry Kormyankov, it turns out that the internet terminals of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite company were delivered to the militants of the Nazi Azov Battalion and the Ukrainian Marines in Mariupol by military helicopters," reads a translation of Rogozin's statement Musk shared on Twitter.
Rogozin's statement sounds a bit like a threat against the Tesla billionaire.
"According to our information, the delivery of the Starlink equipment was carried out by the Pentagon. Elon Musk, thus, is involved in supplying the fascist forces in Ukraine with military communication equipment. And for this, Elon, you will be held accountable like an adult – no matter how much you'll play the fool," Rogozin writes.
Musk did provide SpaceX Starlink terminals to Ukraine in February at the request of top government officials, the New York Post reports. The Starlink terminals have helped provide the Ukrainians with internet service during the war caused by the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, has repeatedly denied Russian claims that a Mariupol-based national guard unit, the Azov Battalion, is run by Nazis.
Musk and Rogozin are longtime rivals.
Musk made light of Rogozin's statement, tweeting that "the word 'Nazi' doesn't mean what he seems to think it does." Musk's comments drew more fire from Rogozin, who issued a series of responses, Insider reports.
In response to Musk's tweet about dying, Rogozin tweeted "nobody needs you" and "stop fooling around," Insider reports.
Rogozin is the director general of Roscosmos, a space company run by the Russian Federation government. Insider reports that Musk and Rogozin have been at odds for years because Musk often positions his SpaceX rockets as an alternative to Russia's Soyuz rockets.
Musk's tweet upset his mother on Mother's Day.
Musk may have a bigger problem than Rogozin. He upset his mother on Mother's Day. Musk's mother Maye tweeted, "That's not funny," with two angry face emoticons in response to his dying tweet.
"Sorry! I will do my best to stay alive," Musk responded to his mother.
