Elon Musk ‘needs to do more’ than visit Israel, Rep. Manning says
- Elon Musk met with top leaders in Israel on Monday
- The billionaire has faced backlash for his response to an antisemitic post
- Rep. Kathy Manning: Musk has 'allowed' antisemitic rhetoric to be spread
(NewsNation) — Elon Musk met with top leaders in Israel on Monday and toured a kibbutz attacked by Hamas. But in the wake of recent backlash over antisemitism on X, one congresswoman says that’s not enough.
Musk is facing outcry after responding on X to a user who accused Jewish people of hating white people with, “You have said the actual truth.”
While visiting Israel on Monday, the tech mogul tweeted that “actions speak louder than words.” But Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., believes words being spread on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, are carrying a harmful weight as the Israel-Hamas conflict rages on.
“There are some serious issues with Elon Musk,” Manning said during a Monday interview on “The Hill on NewsNation.”
Manning accused Musk of allowing propaganda and antisemitic messages to be spread on X. The Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish civil rights group, also alleges Musk has been tolerant of antisemitism on the social media platform.
“He has not only allowed hateful, antisemitic rhetoric to be spread on his platform; he has actually spread it himself and agreed with it,” Manning said.
When asked about Musk’s visit to Israel, Manning said, “He needs to do more.”
The representative, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also thinks Congress should be reviewing the dissemination of hateful speech on social media and taking steps to stop it.
Musk and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured a rural village that Hamas stormed during the Oct. 7 attack. The Tesla CEO and prime minister later had a conversation that was streamed on X, where Musk said it was “jarring to see the scene of the massacre.”
The discussion did not address antisemitism online. Netanyahu said he hoped Musk would be involved in building a better future. The tech billionaire replied, “I’d love to help.”
Musk’s trip comes as four groups of hostages have been released as part of a hostage exchange and temporary cease-fire.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.