The world gets weirder by the hour, but nothing quite matches up to the unbeatable strangeness popping off on Elon Musk‘s X.
The social media site was always a bit of a cesspool, but in the years since Musk bought up and promptly tanked the platform, it’s spiraled even further. These days its largely an echo chamber for insane right wing conspiracy theories and cruel, toxic takes, but occasional flickers of sense occasionally shine through. These are disproportionately delivered by among the site’s biggest detractors, and also one of its biggest stars: Stephen King.
The horror author has long been a vocal opponent of both Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and as the two increasingly become bedfellows, King’s criticism is ramping up. He’s been known to throw any number of barbs in the direction of both amoral billionaires, but his latest jab may have finally gone too far. A fresh trend was flying on X between Nov. 11 and 12, and users are worried it may have finally pushed Musk over the edge. Those “First Lady” jokes are hilarious and all, but if they are the cause behind a perma-ban for King, was it worth it in the end?
Was Stephen King banned on X?
First let’s address those viral rumors, before we get into the “why” of it all. Rumors spread in early November that Stephen King’s X account had been permanently banned, and all over a joke. King reportedly referred to Musk, who exercises broad control over X, as the new First Lady of the United States, a clever jab that no doubt got under Musk’s skin.
Soon, reports were spreading that King’s account had been suspended as a result, which led to broad criticism of Musk. For someone who always champions “free speech,” it would be a bold move to ban someone over some hurt feelings, but the claim isn’t actually true. King’s account is still active as of Nov. 12, and what’s more it doesn’t seem the First Lady joke even originated with the horror author. He’s most likely enjoying it plenty, but no recent tweets on King’s page make mention of the growing trend.
What is the First Lady Musk joke?
Stephen King didn’t start those jokes about Elon Musk’s new status in the Trump family, nor did they get him banned, but the jokes have none-the-less taken off on the social media site. Quite a few people attribute the trend to King, thanks to those false rumors, but it doesn’t need the 77-year-old to gain traction on the site.
In the wake of the 2024 election, people are facing increasing concern over Musk — the richest man on the planet — and his ties to the Trump campaign. Rumors are already swirling that he’ll have a position in the Trump White House, his influence in the lead-up to the election was undeniable, and in recent months Musk has been anything but shy about his clear political leanings. Pair that with his giddy appearance at a Trump rally and his presence in a Trump family photo that notably lacks the president elect’s actual wife, and X had the perfect recipe for a viral joke.
The internet took Musk’s new cosy spot at Trump’s side and ran with it, and quickly dubbed the obnoxious tech bro as Trump’s new wifey. Melania is on the outs, and Musk is sliding in on her territory, and to a huge number of users, that can mean only one thing: Elon Musk is set to become First Lady of the United States.
Freshly dubbed Elonia, Trump’s new arm candy is getting thoroughly roasted on his own social media site, and some of the responses are truly brutal.
Photoshop and AI art were quickly employed to make the nickname stick, resulting in some very disturbing images.
People even leaned on recent news about Melania Trump’s nudes being aired on Russian TV, with a Musk-sized twist.
The resulting trend is outright vicious — and its also quickly being buried on X. Dedicated users are working hard to keep it alive, but if Musk’s little feelings are even slightly scalded, you can bet the trend will be over before you can say Elonia.