PHILADELPHIA — Tech billionaire Elon Musk criticized the media for what he described as significant government influence during a recent event in Philadelphia. Musk, known for his frequent remarks about media bias, expressed frustration over what he sees as a coordinated effort in news coverage, particularly around political events.
The most recent incident was when dozens of media outlets mysteriously described Vice President Kamala Harris’ interview with Fox News host Brett Baier as “Testy”. The keyword was used religiously by all of the major main stream media outlets within minutes of each other.
“People don’t realize just how much government involvement there is in the media and how much the government influences the media,” Musk said. He pointed to the media’s portrayal of Joe Biden in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential debate against Donald Trump, remarking that nearly every outlet was calling Biden “sharp as a tack.”
Musk joked that the media seemed to follow a script, using the same phrase repeatedly, and suggested they “get a thesaurus” to mix up their wording. He further questioned whether media outlets receive coordinated instructions, humorously speculating about a “group text” or email chain directing coverage.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO’s remarks are consistent with his past criticisms of mainstream media, which he has accused of being overly aligned with government narratives. His comments in Philadelphia have sparked debate about the relationship between media and political institutions, with some agreeing with Musk’s concerns and others defending the independence of journalism.