DeSantis Silent on Elon Musk's Endorsement of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory
Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis avoids denouncing Elon Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory, raising concerns over his stance on combating hate speech
Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis declined to explicitly criticize Elon Musk for publicly supporting an antisemitic conspiracy theory favored by White supremacists. The Florida governor initially claimed he was unaware of the remark made by Musk in response to X on Wednesday but acknowledged that Musk has faced scrutiny since acquiring the platform.
Tapper presented DeSantis with a post about Jewish communities spreading hatred against whites while demanding an end to such behavior. The post also mentioned the influx of minorities in Western countries, which aligns with a well-known antisemitic conspiracy theory. Musk's response affirmed the accuracy of the statement.
Online hate groups and Robert Bowers, the convicted killer responsible for the deadliest attack against Jews in American history, have spread a conspiracy theory suggesting that Jews aim to bring undocumented minority populations into Western countries with the intention of diminishing White majorities. When questioned by Tapper about his concerns regarding antisemitism on the political right, DeSantis replied, "across the board."
Last month, according to preliminary data, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 388% increase in antisemitic incidents in the US in the weeks following the Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7. Similarly, the Council on American-Islamic Relations has observed a rise in reports after the attack, although they do not have specific numbers to share.
When Tapper challenged the labeling of "fringe," pointing out that influential figures on the right like Musk have also shared White supremacist tropes, DeSantis maintained his position and continued to focus on universities rather than Musk.
"He stated that you have witnessed this becoming a constituent of a left-wing ideology, a considerably influential pro-Hamas ideology. Furthermore, it is supported by establishments of authority," he expressed.
When Tapper reiterated the question about Musk's tweet, DeSantis stuck to his stance, stating, "I am completely unaware of the context surrounding it."
"I am acquainted with Elon Musk, but I have never witnessed him engaging in any questionable behavior. From what I gather, he is a firm supporter of America. It would be surprising if the allegations were true, although I personally have not witnessed any such actions. Therefore, I refrain from hastily passing judgment," he commented.
Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic post on his own social media platform, commonly known as Twitter, faced immediate backlash from prominent brands. Consequently, companies such as Disney, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Comcast, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN, chose to temporarily halt their advertising with him.
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin responded to Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic post, expressing his strong disapproval in a subsequent interview with Tapper on Sunday. Raskin described the endorsement as outrageous and dangerous, and announced that he and his Democratic colleagues will be contacting Musk this week to urge him to retract his claims.
This report includes contributions from CNN's Jack Forrest, David Goldman, Avery Lotz, Brian Fung, Clare Duffy, and Samantha Delouya.
