Elon Musk has responded to the massive “Hands Off!” protests that swept across the United States over the weekend, breaking his silence on the issue Sunday.
Musk dismissed the widespread demonstrations, accusing participants of being manipulated by behind-the-scenes political figures he referred to as “puppet masters.”
“The problem is the puppet masters, not the puppets, as the latter have no idea why they are even there,” Musk wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. This marks his first public comment since the protests, which drew hundreds of thousands of demonstrators across all 50 states and major cities including Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.
In another tweet, Musk mocked a protester by writing, “He had to read the paper he was given to understand the sign he was holding.”
The “Hands Off!” protests were organized as a stand against perceived government overreach and the outsized influence of billionaires on American democracy. Protesters directly called out both Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump, with chants and placards naming them as symbols of that influence.
The demonstrations marked one of the largest coordinated protest actions in recent U.S. history, highlighting growing tensions between political activists and high-profile figures in business and government.