Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of X (formerly Twitter), is facing criticism for allegedly silencing critics on his platform. The issue began after Musk showed strong support for the H-1B visa program, which allows skilled foreign workers to stay in the U.S. for up to six years. Some conservative groups are unhappy with his views and accuse X of taking away premium features from users who disagree with him.
Reports say several conservative accounts, including “ConservativeOG,” lost their blue verification badges. These badges allow users to earn money from their content. ConservativeOG claimed over 50 related accounts were affected and accused Musk of breaking his promise to protect free speech. “We pay $1,000 a month for a platform that claims to support free speech,” the account said, asking Musk to fix the issue.
This comes after Musk criticized MAGA Republicans who want to prioritize American workers over foreign talent. Musk, who was born in South Africa and is now a U.S. citizen, defends the H-1B visa program as important for filling jobs in the tech industry. His company Tesla reportedly received 724 H-1B visas this year, showing how important the program is for his business.
The debate grew more heated after former President Donald Trump, who is known for opposing illegal immigration, said he supports the H-1B program. Trump, who once called the program “unfair” to American workers, admitted using it for his businesses and described it as “great.” His comments have caused division among his supporters, with some accusing Musk and other tech leaders of going against Trump’s “America First” policy.
Critics also say Musk’s actions on X go against his promise to protect free speech. Conservative commentator Laura Loomer said her posts were flagged as spam and accused Musk of censorship. Musk has not responded directly to these claims but defended X’s algorithm, saying it focuses on creating a better user experience and reduces the visibility of accounts heavily muted or blocked by others.
Preston Parra, the person behind ConservativeOG, accused Musk of trying to silence his critics. Parra warned that conservatives would not allow tech billionaires to suppress their voices. Some users even called Musk a “Trojan horse,” saying his support for H-1B visas aligns more with Silicon Valley’s interests than with Republican values.
Despite the criticism, Musk continues to support skilled immigration. He says it is important for the tech industry to have programs like H-1B visas to fill job shortages. Supporters of the program say it helps innovation, but opponents argue it hurts American workers and should be ended.
This debate shows growing tension over immigration and labour policies. Musk’s actions and the criticism he faces could affect the future of X as a free speech platform and the ongoing immigration discussions in the U.S.