In brief
A group of right-wing individuals, including Laura Loomer and Charlie Kirk, express growing concerns over Elon Musk's sway over Donald Trump and perceived censorship on X, previously known as Twitter.
As tensions mount within the far-right faction, Elon Musk finds himself at odds with several of his former allies. Initially embraced by the far-right following his acquisition of Twitter and subsequent commitment to "free speech," Musk's influence appears to be causing concern among key figures who worry that their political agenda may be overshadowed by his own ambitions.Laura Loomer, a well-known far-right activist, previously celebrated her Twitter reinstatement, crediting Musk for her return to the platform after being banned in 2018 for anti-Muslim remarks. However, her tone has shifted dramatically in recent weeks. Loomer and several other high-profile conservatives—including Charlie Kirk and Stephen K. Bannon—are now sounding alarms about Musk's growing influence over President-elect Donald Trump. They have accused him of suppressing dissenting voices on X, with Loomer leading the charge.Prominent members of the right have taken to social media to criticize Musk openly. Batya Ungar-Sargon, the conservative opinion editor at Newsweek, recently labeled Musk a “shill” for engaging in censorship. A lawyer closely connected to Trump, Mike Davis, urged Musk to “stay in your lane” amidst mounting frustrations. These criticisms stem from X's recent decisions to suspend or restrict numerous accounts that voiced dissenting opinions about Musk, including blocking links to articles that expose his actions. This decision, and Musk's public confrontation with Nigel Farage—a staunch Trump ally—has further deepened the rift. Musk, once seen as a potential ally to Trump's base, has rapidly eroded much of the goodwill he had cultivated during his campaign efforts in favor of the Republican presidential candidate. Many former supporters now feel misled and worry that their goals may be secondary to Musk's own agenda. As the line between political ally and adversary blurs, the far-right circles are left grappling with Musk's unexpected shift from ally to antagonist.
