Fixated on a UK intercourse abuse scandal from 15 years in the past, Elon Musk has been trolling British officers, prompting a rebuke from the prime minister and fear over what this portends for U.S. coverage.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
In a publish right this moment on X, Elon Musk referred to as the federal government of Britain tyrannical. Britain – key U.S. ally, Britain. Musk additionally referred to as for the prime minister there to be imprisoned. Musk’s timeline has been full of vitriol for the UK in latest days, which has left many Britons asking, why? And what may this portend for U.S. coverage with Musk slated for a job within the incoming White Home? Properly, let’s go to Britain to ask these questions. NPR’s Lauren Frayer is in London. Hello there.
LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE: Hello, Mary Louise.
KELLY: OK, inform me extra about Elon Musk, world’s richest man. What has he been saying concerning the U.Ok.?
FRAYER: Here is a smattering of his posts from X, right this moment alone.
(Studying) Starmer is totally despicable.
That is a reference to U.Ok. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
(Studying) America ought to liberate the individuals of Britain from their tyrannical authorities.
That is a tweet that is really pinned to his profile proper now. There’s rather a lot on that timeline right this moment about youngster rape, accusing U.Ok. officers of not doing sufficient to guard youngsters. In latest days, he is referred to as a U.Ok. cupboard minister an “evil witch and a rape genocide apologist.” That may be a quote.
KELLY: Lauren, why?
FRAYER: Yeah, so I requested Elon Musk for an interview. He hasn’t replied. I’ll get again to you if he does. However he has apparently develop into fixated on a baby intercourse abuse scandal that occurred in northern England greater than a decade in the past, by which gangs of largely British Pakistani males have been convicted of grooming largely white British women. And the far proper actually seized upon this – accused U.Ok. politicians of masking up this gang scandal out of concern of showing racist.
As we speak, Musk tweeted the phrases, jail for Starmer, as a result of Starmer was a prime prosecutor on the time of that scandal. Now Starmer denies any coverup. In reality, he was one of many prosecutors who expedited trials on this scandal. Sunder Katwala is the director of a nonpartisan assume tank right here referred to as British Future. And I simply requested him, like, what do you make of this sudden curiosity from Elon Musk?
SUNDER KATWALA: Whether or not it is a technique or whether or not it is kind of impulsive insomniac late-night tweeting, he is clearly develop into very seized by the grooming gang scandal. I feel he is most likely heard about it in the previous few weeks and has his personal fairly skewed, barely radicalized view of what occurred, and he is offended. His reply is to attempt to carry down the federal government of the UK.
FRAYER: Now, Katwala says this is not just a few wealthy man with 210-plus million followers tweeting about this. That is now an official with the incoming Trump administration who could abruptly really feel like he has a mandate for world affairs. He is additionally been tweeting help for far-right anti-immigrant events in Germany and elsewhere, help that runs counter to official U.S. coverage.
KELLY: OK, so that’s what Elon Musk is saying and tweeting. What’s the authorities there in Britain saying in response?
FRAYER: So Prime Minister Starmer’s technique had been to disregard this as trolling. However right this moment he was giving a press convention about one thing unrelated – about reforming the well being service. And he ended up simply being dominated by questions on this. And now this grooming scandal is again within the information, , a decade-plus later. Starmer defended his report as a public prosecutor again then, and he actually lashed out at Musk with out naming him.
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PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER: These which might be spreading lies and misinformation as far and as huge as doable, they don’t seem to be occupied with victims. They’re occupied with themselves.
FRAYER: Starmer additionally defended the federal government minister whom Musk had referred to as an evil witch. Her title is Jess Phillips. She received dying threats after that. Starmer referred to as these threats poison of the far-right which have actually crossed a line. Now, this is not the primary time, although, that Musk has publicly criticized the U.Ok. prime minister.
KELLY: Oh, what else has he stated?
FRAYER: So Musk has used the hashtag #TwoTierKeir, accusing Starmer of two-tier policing, which is completely unsubstantiated, however mainly means harsher punishments for far-right protesters moderately than pro-Palestinian or Black Lives Matter protesters. He is additionally endorsed a publish not too long ago calling for the king to take away Starmer from energy, which is one thing the monarch shouldn’t be allowed to do.
KELLY: Properly, this prompts questions concerning the broader relationship. Might this harm relations between the U.S. and Britain?
FRAYER: I imply, the U.Ok. is one among America’s closest allies, and it is actually, actually uncommon, as , for an incoming administration official to say stuff like this. And Katwala, the assume tank director, says he thinks Musk is basically freelancing on this, that he is not delivering messages which have been permitted by President-elect Donald Trump. Trump and Starmer had lunch in New York this previous fall. They each stated they’d a high quality assembly. They stay up for working collectively on what they’ve referred to as a particular relationship. However Trump additionally has a report of provocative tweets. So, , keep tuned.
KELLY: NPR’s Lauren Frayer in London. Thanks.
FRAYER: You are welcome.
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