On Friday afternoon, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X—formerly known as Twitter—was hit by a massive outage that left users across the U.S. unable to access the app or website.
The problems began around 2:30 p.m. ET, with Downdetector, a service that tracks online service disruptions, reporting that the outage primarily affected the eastern half of the country.
Within an hour, over 50,000 users had reported issues on the site.
Trouble Spreads Across Major U.S. Cities
While the outage initially appeared to target the eastern regions, users from major cities like Dallas, Chicago, and Minneapolis also reported being unable to access the platform.
Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York were among the hardest-hit areas as well.
The disruption primarily impacted people using the X app, and some users even feared they’d been banned after receiving error messages claiming they were unauthorized to use the platform’s services, such as Grok 3, the platform’s version of ChatGPT.
The Outage Comes Amid Growing Controversies Surrounding Musk
The timing of the outage couldn’t have been worse, as Musk’s other major company, Tesla, has recently become a target for protests and violence across the U.S.
Dealerships have been set on fire, and just days before the outage, multiple incendiary devices were discovered inside a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas.
The Austin Police Department responded quickly, discovering suspicious devices inside the building after an anonymous tip-off.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and authorities are still investigating the incident.
Financial Impact of the Outage and Musk’s Controversies
Despite the outage, the financial impact on Musk’s companies remained minimal.
X’s stock held steady at around $43 per share, maintaining its $44 billion valuation—exactly what Musk paid for it in 2022.
However, the troubles surrounding Tesla and Musk’s leadership have continued to escalate.
Incidents of vandalism and arson against Tesla vehicles have surged in recent weeks, with some activists even labeling the attacks as “domestic terrorism.”
Escalating Tensions and Government Responses
The growing anger towards Musk and his companies has not gone unnoticed by political figures.
Former President Donald Trump, who recently purchased a Tesla Cybertruck, condemned the violence against Tesla as domestic terrorism.
He vowed that anyone responsible for these attacks would face severe consequences.
Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed these sentiments, stating that the Department of Justice is actively pursuing charges against those behind the coordinated attacks.
Musk Faces Public Backlash and Financial Loss
Musk’s wealth has also taken a significant hit, with his net worth dropping by $130 billion since the start of the year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires’ Index.
Amidst these challenges, Musk has continued to face vocal opposition from protesters, some of whom have gathered outside Tesla showrooms with placards criticizing his leadership.
The ongoing chaos surrounding Musk’s businesses highlights the growing tensions not only over his ventures but also his political influence, as he takes on controversial roles, including his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, which has seen significant cuts in federal spending.