Musk's "unsettling" comment directed towards Swift triggers network response.
Elon Musk, the renowned entrepreneur, is known for his unique, occasionally questionable posts. Following the TV debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, Musk is currently locked in a feud with pop star Taylor Swift. The reaction has been swift.
Musk's list of peculiar posts on his platform X is extensive - too extensive to detail here. There was the tweet challenging Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to a boxing match. Or the one labeling a British diver who assisted in rescuing a group of boys trapped in a Thai cave as a "pedo guy" due to his refusal of help. Or the one suggesting we bomb Mars to make it habitable.
In his latest post, Musk has aimed his criticism at Taylor Swift. After the singer publicly supported Harris for a future US president and humorously referred to herself as a "childless cat lady," Musk responded to a Republican rumor about illegal immigrants in Ohio eating pets by saying: "Alright Taylor, you've won. I'll give you a kid and protect your cats with my life."
It's unclear if Musk was proposing to impregnate Swift or to give her one of his 12 children. It's also unclear how Swift would react. However, it's evident that Musk is facing backlash on X for the odd comment. Many of Swift's fans, known as "Swifties," are questioning: "Why is Elon Musk so strange?"
"Musk reveals himself as a misogynistic pig. Musk always manages to show his true colors," one user commented on X.
"You're bizarre and strange," several users commented in various forms.
"The cats politely but firmly decline your offer. Now stop behaving strangely and offering people your kids," read a post from Larry the Cat, the famous feline from 10 Downing Street.
"Will Taylor Swift fans ever buy a Tesla now?" actor Billy Baldwin asked, amused.
"Did you genuinely post this to 197 million followers?" one user asked in disbelief. Because Harris won the debate, Musk now wants to "give Taylor Swift a child who doesn't want you. Is this some sort of alpha male dominance that makes you feel powerful and masculine? Does it work?"
"Tell Travis Kelce that, and see what happens," another user wrote, referring to Swift's boyfriend, the football player Travis Kelce.
"Why are you supporting a criminal, liar, rapist, and accused pedophile who couldn't balance the budget or replace Obamacare as promised, while ignoring the Kurds and the four soldiers killed in Niger?" a self-proclaimed veteran asked.
"No woman with self-respect would agree to that, and I'm confident Taylor Swift is a woman who would choose to have a child with a man who loves her for who she is in the future," a "Swiftie" commented.
"I thought this time it was a parody account," one X user wrote, referring to the frequent fake posts that often go viral under Musk's name.
"It sounds very predatory to me," one man commented.
This post takes things to a new level of peculiarity. It's not just odd anymore, it's unsettling," finds a user.
"Buddy, if you want to learn how to talk to women, I'm available. But I'll draft the contract, not your lawyers. Apparently, they have no idea how bad it is," wrote a certain Alexey Shevchenko, a consultant on LinkedIn.
"Travis Kelce, when he sees this app and sees the CEO offering to impregnate his wife," wrote a user under a photo of Kelce visibly upset and flushed, arguing with his coach Andy Reid.
"No one wants your strange sperm," commented a woman.
"Sorry, Elon, but Taylor Swift isn't into Cybertrucks," commented a woman named Annabelle, playfully joking about Musk's physique and one of his bulky Tesla models.
"This is what 'eww' looks like," wrote an obviously disgusted X-user.
"This man, Elon Musk, is not a serious person. Why would reputable companies do business with this individual? It's pathetic. Republicans are not serious people, and Trump proved that last night (during the debate against Kamala Harris, Ed.). All they know is deceit, hate, anger, division, and lies," wrote a Democratic voter angrily.
"Musk's post should be seen as part of the broader pattern of Trump/Republicans belittling women who don't fit traditional gender roles. His contribution is misogynistic because he reduces Swift's serious political stance to the stereotype of a 'childless cat lady'," found a woman named Eva.
Swift had expressed her support for Harris on Instagram after the TV debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, calling her "a level-headed, talented leader." She signed off with "Childless Cat Lady." "Childless cat lady" was a reference to a statement made by Trump's vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance. In a 2021 interview with Fox News, he said the country was being led by Democrats, oligarchs, and "childless cat ladies who are unhappy with their own lives and the decisions they've made and want to make the rest of the country unhappy too."
In response to Swift's comment, Musk decided not to engage further, stating, "I'm not going to engage in this cat lady debate."
Despite the backlash, Musk's posts on X continue to garner attention and discussion, prompting some users to question the boundaries of acceptable behavior in public figures' online interactions.
