Musk Breaks ‘Politically Neutral’ Twitter Promise After Endorsing Republicans In Midterms

The topline

Elon Musk pleaded on Twitter Monday for voters to back Republican candidates a day before midterm elections, the strongest indicator yet of how the world’s wealthiest man will use his newly acquired social network as a mouthpiece for his political agenda.

AFP via Getty Images

Here are some key facts

Addressing “independent-minded voters,” Musk wrote he recommends “voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic,” explaining, “shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties.”

Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter last month closed has pledged to destroy the platform. what he calls a “strong” liberal bias.

Musk is not surprised by the endorsement of Republicans. said in April Twitter must be “politically neutral” to “deserve public trust” and has worked in recent days to assure advertisers the platform won’t descend into a “free-for-all hellscape.”

Important Background

The billionaire has already been hard at work reshaping the platform to his vision, notably axing various employees tasked with moderating election content and creating a council to evaluate the reinstatement of mostly far-right accounts previously banned by Twitter, including former President Donald Trump’s. Musk said in May he planned to vote Republican, decrying Democrats as the “party of division & hate.”

Chief Critic

“How would you, as the head of Twitter, justify recommending which party people should vote for after you advocated for political neutrality for the platform?” Reuters reporter Kanishka Singh replied to Musk’s tweet Monday.

Here’s What to Watch

Recent polls indicate that Republicans will be taking control of both the House and Senate. It is possible for Republicans to have a higher turnout.

Tangent

After potentially swaying the U.S.’ political future, Musk went back to his typical antics, making several crude jokesMastodon is a competitor to Twitter

Rupert Murdoch 2.0 – How Twitter gives Elon Musk the power to shape public opinion (SME)

Elon Musk Tweets He’ll Vote Republican—And Slams Democrats As ‘Party Of Division & Hate’ (SME)

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