Tesla CEO Elon Musk has now revealed that why he no longer stops for selfies or any casual encounters in public, citing heightened security concerns after the shocking murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk earlier this year. Speaking on The Katie Miller podcast, Musk mentioned that the assassination of Kirk in broad daylight is the main reason behind the changed outlook of SpaceX CEO on personal safety. “These days, particularly in light of Charlie Kirk’s murder, there are serious security issues. It’s not that I don’t want to. I simply can’t,” Musk explained. Talking to Miller, Elon Musk described the murder incident of Charlie Kirk as the turning point, reinforcing the severity of risks he faces as a public figure. “Life is on hardcore mode. You make one mistake and you’re dead. It only takes one mistake,” he said. Along with this, the Tesla CEO also admitted that he just cannot recall the last time he performed ordinary errands such as visiting a grocery store or pharmacy, underscoring how his daily life has been completely reshaped by security concerns.
Impact of Charlie Kirk’s murder
For those unaware, Charlie Kirk was the founder of Turing Point USA. He was shot and killed in September this year during a public appearance. The attack on Kirik shocked the US political landscape and also highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by high-profile figures. Musk said that this tragedy made him reconsider how easily public events could become dangerous. Musk further added that now routine fan interactions such as stopping for selfies, carry risks he cannot ignore. While he acknowledged that he enjoys connecting with people, he stressed that safety considerations outweigh personal preference.
Elon Musk opened up about DOGE
Recently, Tesla CEO Elon Musk opened up about his brief and controversial leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump administration initiative which was created to bring down federal spending. As reported by Reuters, speaking at a recent podcast interview, Elon Musk described the project as ‘a little bit’ and ‘somewhat successful’ but also mentioned that he would not take on the role again.Musk acknowledged that while DOGE did achieve some cost-cutting goals, but the fallout for his companies was severe. “I think instead of doing DOGE, I would have basically worked on my companies. And they wouldn’t have been burning the cars,” Musk said. During Musk’s time at DOIGE, Tesla vehicles, dealerships and factories were reportedly targeted by activists who were angry over Musk’s alignment with Trump’s aggressive federal downsizing agenda. The backlash underscored the risks of Musk’s involvement in politics while running high-profile businesses.
