Maye Musk, mother of billionaire Elon Musk, has sparked controversy and backlash after a tweet on election day, November 5, 2024, where she made controversial comments about the ethnicity of tech reporter Ryan Mac. The tweet, which was later deleted, accused Mac of allegedly writing a “hit piece” about Elon Musk for The New York Times, but what caught the public’s attention was her reference to his ethnicity.
The Controversial Tweet
Maye Musk, a 76-year-old author and businesswoman, shared her concerns about the upcoming article from The New York Times, suggesting that it would be biased against her son Elon. However, her tweet quickly attracted criticism for mentioning Mac’s ethnicity, describing him as an “American Vietnamese” reporter. Musk, in her post, pointed out that her book was a bestseller in Vietnam, implying that the article, if “hateful or dishonest,” would not be believed by her readers there.
Her comment, which read: “Sadly, Ryan is an American Vietnamese reporter,” was met with immediate backlash on social media. Critics condemned her for making his ethnic background a focus in the context of her critique. Some argued that her reference to his ethnicity was inappropriate and racist.
Public Reaction and Criticism
The tweet was widely condemned, including by NBC News reporter Tyler Kingkade, who pointed out that Mac’s ethnic background had no bearing on his professionalism. “Calling out a reporter for their ethnic heritage is never appropriate,” Kingkade wrote in response. Others accused Musk of promoting racism, with one user commenting: “Completely unacceptable. No one should be singled out by their race like this.”
Mac, who has covered prominent tech figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, responded humorously to the backlash, joking about his heritage. He updated his bio on X (formerly Twitter) to read “American Vietnamese.”
Despite the growing criticism, Maye Musk doubled down on her views in a subsequent post. She reiterated her claims that The New York Times had been dishonest in its coverage of her son for years, saying, “It must be hard to be hateful and dishonest continuously. Hope Ryan is paid well.”
Maye Musk’s Defiance
Maye Musk did not offer an apology, defending her remarks as part of her longstanding criticisms of media coverage of her son. She insisted that her criticism of Mac was not about his race, but about her belief that media outlets had misrepresented Elon Musk in the past. The incident has further fueled the debate about racism, media bias, and the role of social media in amplifying personal opinions.
Elon Musk and the US Election
The controversy occurred on the same day as the US presidential election, where Donald Trump was declared the winner. Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of Trump, had been involved in the campaign, including financially backing pro-Trump initiatives. Following Trump’s win, Musk expressed his support, tweeting that the American people had given Trump a “clear mandate for change.”
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