Billionaire Elon Musk faced accusations from the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish civil rights organization, and others of tolerating anti-Semitic messages on his social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, since he acquired it in 2022.
The American billionaire stirred controversy last November when he posted on X, saying, “You said the factual truth,” in response to a user on the X platform accusing Jews of hating whites and declaring indifference to anti-Semitism. However, Musk later apologized for the comment, describing it as the “dumbest” post he had ever made.
Musk visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau site with his 3-year-old son and others, including Shapiro and Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the founder and head of the European Jewish Association.
Reflecting on his visit to the site near Oświęcim, southern Poland, Musk stated, “It was extremely impactful, sad, and tragic that humans could do this to other humans,” adding, “I’m a student of history. I’ve seen pictures, watched videos, but it affects you more when you see it in person.”
Musk’s visit was expected to take place on Tuesday, and he was to participate in a memorial event alongside political figures attending the European Jewish Association conference in Krakow. However, he appeared at the Nazi death camp on Monday.
The European Jewish Association stated in an email, “Musk laid a wreath on the death wall and participated in a short memorial ceremony and service at the Birkenau memorial.” They added, “Due to scheduling concerns ahead of Elon Musk’s arrival at the European Jewish Association conference, he participated in a private visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau with Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro, and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev.”
The social media platform X, owned by Musk, formerly known as Twitter, did not respond to requests for comments on his trip, sending an automated message that said, “Busy now, please check back later.” SpaceX, Musk’s rocket company, also did not respond to email requests for comments.
Musk defended X, his platform, as a space where free expression thrives, stating that open exchange of ideas ultimately helps correct hatred. He pointed out that the Nazis closed down press freedom and information.
He said, “The overall goal for X is to be the best source of truth in the world,” adding, “Relentlessly seeking the truth is the goal with X and allowing people to say what they want to say, even if it’s controversial, as long as it doesn’t violate the law.”
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