Elon Musk’s Rhetoric Sparks Concerns Over Harassment and Safety in Trump Administration

Some of Donald Trump’s appointees have reported violent threats following their nomination to high-level positions in his incoming administration. However, analysts warn that unelected advisers like Elon Musk are placing lower-level government officials at even greater risk.

Trump recently appointed tech mogul Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with slashing federal spending. Musk, in particular, has drawn scrutiny for his actions on X (formerly Twitter), where he publicly named and criticized four lower-level government employees. His posts viewed tens of millions of times, have reportedly incited harassment campaigns against these individuals.

In one particularly incendiary post on Wednesday, Musk targeted retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a former Trump impeachment witness, accusing him of “treason” and ominously warning that he “will pay.” CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem criticized Musk’s behavior, highlighting the potential for his rhetoric to inspire violence.

“He’s essentially sort of a vice presidential sort of foil,” Kayyem said, noting Musk’s prominent role in Trump’s orbit. “We don’t even see [vice president-elect J.D.] Vance much anymore. We see Elon Musk a lot more. He’s very close with the president.”

Kayyem called Musk’s actions reckless and dangerous. “People are nervous to take this on, but it really does have to be taken on,” she said. “Elon Musk just needs to honestly grow up – just grow up. I mean, this is silly behavior, and he may view it as funny. He sort of has an odd sense of humor, you know… But what happens is people see that and take it as a license to do something very unfunny.”

She further elaborated on the risks of Musk’s language, emphasizing its potential to incite violence. “Anyone who’s an expert in these fields… really understands that that kind of language, whether a joke, whether he just thinks he’s powerful, that punching down that he does is not only scary for the recipient… but is also just… it’s so easy to punch down, right? And I think we have to just grow up at this stage.”

Musk’s critics argue that his high-profile position amplifies the danger of his rhetoric, especially in an era where online harassment frequently escalates into real-world threats. As the Trump administration prepares to take office, concerns over the safety of government employees targeted by Musk’s posts are mounting.