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Elon Musk’s civil war predictions spark debate

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Civil War Debate

Elon Musk has repeatedly warned about the possibility of a civil war in Europe due to immigration.

Over the past 10 months, he has posted about this topic at least eight times on his social media platform X. Musk’s comments gained significant attention earlier this month when he weighed in on the anti-immigration riots happening in Britain.

“Civil war is inevitable,” he posted, a statement viewed 9.8 million times and drew a strong response from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office. Starmer rejected Musk’s prediction, saying there was “no justification” for such remarks, while other critics in the U.K. accused Musk of stoking tensions. Experts point out that Musk’s language is unusual for a corporate executive speaking publicly.

However, the idea of a civil war has become a common talking point among far-right activists who see such a conflict as not only inevitable but also desirable. Jon Lewis, a research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, noted that “what you’re seeing in these calls for civil war is a white supremacist clarion call. It is a dog whistle.”

Although Musk has not explicitly advocated for violence or mentioned the race or religion of refugees, experts caution that his words mirror the language used in white supremacist chat rooms where changing demographics are frequently discussed.

Lewis warned that Musk’s statements could inspire violence from others, saying, “It’s only a matter of time, unfortunately, before someone listens.

The far-right’s rhetoric surrounding a future civil war is part of a broader philosophical framework in which extremists believe that fueling tensions around issues like immigration could lead to wars, accelerating societal collapse and providing an opportunity to reshape society according to their ideals.

Musk’s rhetoric and rising tensions

In 2019, a gunman who attacked a synagogue in Poway, California, expressed goals connected to a larger civil conflict.

Katie Paul, director of the nonprofit Tech Transparency Project, observed that many followers of the “Boogaloo” anti-government movement, who are eager to dismantle current societal systems, are now active on Musk’s app after being banned from other social media platforms. As one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and the CEO of both Tesla and SpaceX, in addition to his influence as the owner of X, Musk’s predictions carry significant weight. Recently, he has hosted conversations with prominent political figures on X, further amplifying his voice.

Musk has received support for his civil war predictions from individuals like Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser who responded to Musk’s posts by saying that the scenario of civil war is “underway.

However, experts in civil wars argue that Musk is out of his depth. They maintain that it is highly unlikely that Europe will experience a civil war due to immigration. Megan Stewart, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, stated, “Immigrants are not an organized rebel group ready to commit violence.” She emphasized that immigrants are often fleeing dangerous situations and simply trying to live their lives.

Thomas Zeitzoff, an associate professor at American University, cautioned that Musk’s predictions could fuel misleading fears about immigrants and potentially incite right-wing extremists who already hold such beliefs to take up arms. Despite Musk’s repeated forecasts, Europe has not experienced a civil war related to immigration. Historically, in the U.S. and the U.K., immigrants have been victims of violence perpetrated by right-wing extremists rather than instigators of conflict.

Musk’s posts continue to attract thousands of replies, reflecting both support and significant concern over the implications of his predictions.

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Rashan Dixon

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