Tesla CEO-turned-right-wing Twitter troll and owner Elon Musk is facing fierce backlash after he mocked the LGBT+ community on the way to demanding Republicans prosecute Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Many speculate that Musk is attacking Dr. Fauci because Fauci’s daughter worked as an engineer for Twitter at one time.
In his tweet, the billionaire, 51, appeared to mock pronoun use and said: “My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci.” The comment was met with disdain by critics and celebrated by right-wing commentators.
Dr. Fauci, who advocated for people to get vaccinated and wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, has come under scrutiny from conservatives and conspiracy theorists over restrictions and medical advice he offered.
The top immunologist has been harassed after he became a target of people who questioned the benefits of the vaccine, saying without evidence that it was dangerous.
Former CIA director and Obama White House official John Brennan took to Twitter to voice his concern with Musk’s Sunday tweet.
“Dr. Fauci is a national hero who will be remembered for generations to come for his innate goodness & many contributions to public health,” Brennan wrote. “Despite your business success, you will be remembered most for fueling public hate & divisions. You may have money, but you have no class.”
Kyle Griffin, an MSNBC executive producer, slammed Musk’s tweet for “denigrating the trans community.”
“The man who shared disinformation about Paul Pelosi, allowed hate speech to flourish on his platform, and endorsed Ron DeSantis in 2024 is now calling for the prosecution of a public health professional (and denigrating the trans community at the same time),” Griffin tweeted.
“Ssshhh…what’s that sound? It’s the sound of even more advertisers fleeing…,” filmmaker and producer Andy Ostroy wrote.
However, Musk did receive some support for his tweet from MAGA Republicans.
“I affirm your pronouns Elon,” tweeted Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) praised Musk, tweeting, “Now these are pronouns I can approve of! Long overdue.”
Check other reactions below:
Dr. Fauci is a national hero who will be remembered for generations to come for his innate goodness & many contributions to public health
Despite your business success, you will be remembered most for fueling public hate & divisions.
You may have money, but you have no class. https://t.co/0zabyXMERz
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) December 11, 2022
This is not acceptable behavior for someone as influential as you. Reminds me of Donald Trump & J6. You should resign as CEO of Tesla immediately.
— Model3Guy (@Model3Guy) December 11, 2022
My God you are an idiot.
— David Weissman ✡️ (@davidmweissman) December 11, 2022
By saying Dr. Fauci is a criminal, Elon Musk is using his platform to incite VIOLENCE against a U.S. government official. This demands a criminal investigation into all things Musk. How much is Musk being by the enemies of the USA? Time for ANSWERS!
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) December 11, 2022
Your husband made a wise choice, eventually.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) December 11, 2022
I’m sure advertisers are really going to be flocking back to you after this. Good luck with all those loans!
— PitbullDad (@NJbondguy) December 11, 2022
Psychopaths gonna psychopath! https://t.co/PhDjiGBHJF
— Kim aka @kim@sunny.garden 🦣 (@kim) December 11, 2022
I’m not exaggerating. The man is a full on psychopath. https://t.co/ce7dKoj2aS
— Kim aka @kim@sunny.garden 🦣 (@kim) December 11, 2022
What are you doing? Don’t you have companies to run? Don’t you find it degrading jiving for a very online crowd of alt-right fanbois and aggrieved conservatives? You should stop. Manage product development and strategy at Tesla and SpaceX and leave it at that.
— Jason Pontin (@jason_pontin) December 11, 2022
Elon, you are rich and a nitwit, but foremost a nitwit.
Anthony Fauci deserves our respect, but along the way you seem to have forgotten the meaning of the word 'respect'. So sad.
— Marc Van Ranst (@vanranstmarc) December 11, 2022
