This week, the Harris-Biden led U.S. Secret Service initiated “enforcement proceedings” to investigate a controversial social media post by Elon Musk, where he jokingly questioned why assassination attempts have only targeted GOP nominee Donald Trump and not President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. The investigation, as reported by Bloomberg on Thursday, has drawn widespread criticism, with many questioning the agency’s use of federal resources.
The incident began on Sunday when the CEO of Tesla and owner of X (formerly known as Twitter), posted a provocative comment in response to news of the second foiled attempt on Trump’s life. “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala???” Musk wrote, sparking immediate backlash. Realizing the sensitivity of the subject, Musk quickly deleted the post and issued several follow-up comments attempting to clarify his intent. “Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context, and the delivery is plain text,” Musk explained in one of his subsequent posts.
Despite Musk’s attempts to downplay the comment, the Secret Service is taking the matter seriously, launching a formal investigation into whether the post constitutes a threat. Many social media users have scoffed at the decision, with some accusing the agency of wasting federal resources on what was clearly an ill-advised attempt at humor. Critics argue that the Secret Service should be focusing on more pressing matters, especially after its reputation took a hit following the first and second assassination attempts on Trump. Both incidents have raised concerns about the agency’s ability to adequately protect public figures, particularly after a gunman came alarmingly close to Trump during one of the attacks.
Some are viewing the investigation into Musk’s post as a distraction from more significant security failures. With the Secret Service already under fire for lapses in protecting high-profile political figures, this latest controversy has left many questioning whether the agency’s priorities are in the right place.
While Musk’s post was undeniably controversial, many believe that launching a formal investigation into a poorly executed joke is an overreaction. Given the Secret Service’s mission to protect political leaders, critics are asking whether this latest move is truly necessary or simply a waste of federal funds.