Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), found himself at the center of controversy following a provocative comment related to an apparent second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. In a now-deleted post, Musk questioned why no similar attempts had been made on President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. After receiving backlash, Musk admitted he had learned a lesson from the situation.

The remark was made after gunshots were reportedly fired near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential second assassination attempt on the former president, following an earlier attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Musk’s comment sparked outrage on his platform, with users calling the post “irresponsible” and “dangerous.” AI expert Gary Marcus directly criticized Musk, saying the billionaire’s role in potentially inciting violence should be examined if similar attacks occurred on Biden or Harris.

While Musk initially downplayed the need to delete the post, he later acknowledged it was being misinterpreted. In a follow-up comment, Musk expressed regret, stating: “Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text.”

Musk, who has publicly endorsed Trump in the 2024 election, continues to face criticism for controversial posts, which some say have contributed to advertisers’ hesitation in returning to X. This latest incident serves as another reminder of the influence—and responsibility—he holds over the platform’s discourse.