Elon Musk posted about race and immigration in the UK on his social media network X twice as often as he did about SpaceX, which he also owns, in the run-up to the aerospace and AI company\u2019s initial public offering.<\/p>\n
A Guardian analysis of Musk\u2019s posts, replies and reposts between 31 May and 12 June has shown the extent to which the social media activity of the world\u2019s richest person, who lives primarily in the US, has focused on UK politics.<\/p>\n
The period was one of heightened tension and concern in the UK about online activity, particularly from rightwing social media accounts, after the sentencing of Vickrum Digwa<\/a> for the murder of teenager Henry Nowak, which led to claims of \u201canti-white\u201d policing, and far-right protesters clashing with police. It also coincided with violent riots across Belfast<\/a> in Northern Ireland, when protests erupted after a knife attack.<\/p>\n While UK ministers were appealing for an end to the violence, in the US Musk was preparing for one of the biggest moments in his business career on 12 June. That was the day SpaceX, his social media, satellite internet and aerospace conglomerate went public, making him the world\u2019s first trillionaire<\/a>.<\/p>\n Elon Musk speaking on a video link on the day of SpaceX\u2019s IPO at Nasdaq in New York on 12 June. Photograph: Brendan McDermid\/Reuters<\/p>\n Despite this, Guardian analysis shows that Musk posted 303 times about race and immigration in the period leading up to SpaceX\u2019s listing, almost three-quarters of which were related to UK politics. In comparison, he posted just 114 times about SpaceX<\/a> (including replies and reposts), which began trading on the Nasdaq on 12 June.<\/p>\n Analysis of Musk\u2019s X<\/a> feed shows how keen the South African-born businessman is to air his views on UK politics, often in ways which have not been welcomed by the British government or the prime minister, Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n In the aftermath of Digwa\u2019s sentencing, Starmer accused Musk of trying to incite division in UK society. He said: \u201cMusk again has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division. That is not who we are in Britain.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Britain we are reasonable, tolerant people. When we have a terrible case like Henry\u2019s case, Henry Nowak, we react calmly, as his family has done.\u201d<\/p>\n Musk\u2019s focus on politics seemed more surprising because he as an individual is so key to SpaceX\u2019s IPO plans and the company\u2019s valuation.<\/p>\n Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe campaigning in Makerfield during the recent byelection. Photograph: Christopher Thomond\/The Guardian<\/p>\n The firm earmarked an unusually large portion of its shares<\/a> for non-professional, non-institutional investors, banking on Musk\u2019s popularity to help the company raise $75bn (\u00a356bn) \u2013 it actually raised $85.7bn. It organised events and a summer roadshow to raise funds.<\/p>\n On X the night before the IPO, Musk\u2019s focus did not appear to be on these potential buyers. Instead, he was reposting video of Rupert Lowe, the leader of the far-right Restore Britain party, calling for the UK to deport migrants who cannot financially support themselves. This was just one of nearly a dozen Musk posts that day on UK immigration and politics. In a series of other posts, he pondered \u201cmulticulturalism\u201d and the perfidy of the west more generally.<\/p>\n In one, he responded to an account questioning why \u201cthe world\u2019s richest man, Elon Musk, spends his days in a culture war instead of enjoying his billions on a beach\u201d. In response, Musk wrote<\/a>: \u201cNothing else matters if civilization falls.\u201d<\/p>\n At times, Musk focused on the Nowak trial \u2013 posting up to five times in 10 minutes on the subject, as well as UK politics. He highlighted details of Nowak\u2019s death<\/a> and reposted accounts from the US, France and Japan that discussed the case. At least 20 of these posts were viewed 10m times.<\/p>\n Musk has also lent support to Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson<\/a>, including appearing in a live stream at the rightwing activist\u2019s Unite the Kingdom rally in 2025.<\/p>\n Musk was condemned by the British government after the rally, over his choice of words. \u201cWhether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Elon Musk addresses the crowd at the Unite the Kingdom rally in London last year organised by the rightwing activist Tommy Robinson. Photograph: Grant Rooney Premium\/Alamy<\/p>\n Musk\u2019s focus on UK politics as well as race and immigration issues has become stronger over the past two years. The Guardian also analysed his tweets, replies and reposts during other notable periods of protests in the country.<\/p>\n It found that fewer than 7% of his posts were about UK race and immigration politics during the 2024 summer riots, compared with 31% of his tweets between 31 May and 12 June, coinciding with the protests in Southampton, where Nowak was murdered, and Belfast.<\/p>\n