Billionaire Elon Musk has launched a tirade against French judicial authorities as their long-running probe into his social media platform, X, took a serious turn. In January 2025, French authorities opened an inquiry into allegations that X, formerly known as Twitter, was responsible for the interference in French politics.
The tech mogul’s tirade comes as investigators broadened their inquiry from political interference to a litany of severe allegations, including the distribution of child sexual abuse material and sexual deepfakes.
Musk has characterised the investigation as an overreach, but French officials signal they are prepared to hold the platform’s leadership accountable for content currently circulating on the site.
In response to the latest phase of the inquiry, Musk launched a verbal rant. “They’re faker than a chocolate euro and gayer than a flamingo in a neon tutu!” he said of the investigators.
Musk’s blistering verbal assault was aimed at debunking the probe that has also widened to cover allegations of Holocaust denial. The scope of the investigation has ballooned significantly, placing the platform under intense regulatory pressure in one of its key European markets. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO and his former X chief executive officer, Linda Yaccarino, have both failed to respond to a summons from the French judiciary.
Musk’s X Platform Under ‘Net’ of Investigations
The French judiciary has placed Musk’s X platform under a”net” of its investigation, moving beyond political concerns of election interference to address illegal content that is strictly prohibited under European law.
Prosecutors are currently examining evidence regarding the spread of Holocaust denial on the platform, as well as the proliferation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes, an issue that has sparked global outrage in recent months. Musk has denied the allegations, calling French magistrates “mentally retarded” in an earlier post as they launched raids on X’s Paris office in mid-February.
Musk is most critically responding now as the probe covers allegations of his company’s possible complicity in the distribution of images involving child sexual abuse.
French authorities are investigating whether the platform’s moderation policies have allowed such content to flourish, potentially violating strict child protection statutes. Prosecutors argued that Musk and X knowingly allowed users of the AI chatbot Grok to create and spread Holocaust denials and nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake images on X.
A Clash of the European Union’s Policies and the CEO
The escalating rhetoric highlights a growing divide between the European Union’s rigorous digital regulations and the hands-off policy approach of CEOs like Musk regarding their platform. French authorities insist that the tech companies must adhere to national and EU-wide laws regardless of their ownership or personal ideology. The “complicity” aspect of the investigation has riled up the tech mogul, as it suggests that he could face personal liability if found to have intentionally or negligently ignored illegal content.
“France will not be intimidated by social media posts or verbal attacks,” one official close to the investigation noted. “Our judicial system follows the evidence, and the evidence regarding the content on X is deeply concerning.”
As the investigation enters its second year, Musk risks massive fines or even a total ban on X within France, depending on the final findings of the judicial authorities.
What’s Next?
The outcome of the French case could set a significant precedent for how social media platforms are regulated across the continent. For Musk, the “firestorm” in Paris represents one of the most significant legal challenges to his vision of an unrestricted social media, which he defends as the “freedom of speech.” Before launching a verbal assault at the judges, Musk posted a cartoon image of himself smoking an enormous joint on his X account, signalling the unrestricted voice on his platform. He later added a quote from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which he is known to admire: “Go away or I shall taunt you a second time!”
