Son of Gamekeeper Vitek: That's our friend Vuytek. 猎场看守人之子维特克：那是我们的朋友维特克

Musk has described himself as a “free speech absolutist.” He has decried speech restrictions in other countries. Yet his recent statements about the American media contradict his self-image. In a few short weeks, Musk has become the most vicious media-basher of the Trump administration, sometimes going even further than President Trump has. He has attacked a Wall Street Journal journalist who broke news about a DOGE staffer’s racist and eugenic remarks, saying the journalist should be “fired immediately.” He has argued that taxpayer-funded media outlets like Radio Free Europe should be shut down, disparaging the workers as “radical left crazy people.” And he has pushed conspiracy theories about media outlets committing “crimes” without any specifics. Musk’s posts matter because he has the attention and affection of millions. When he makes statements that are antithetical to American values, some of his fans feel emboldened to do the same. Notably, though, when he assailed “60 Minutes” in an anti-democratic tirade Sunday night, scores of usually Musk-friendly followers replied to him with criticism, pointing out his past promotion of “free speech” and accusing him of hypocrisy.