Elon Musk recently stirred controversy by retracting a post that implicated President Donald Trump in the Jeffrey Epstein files and withdrawing his threat to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.
The tech mogul had initially taken to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to assert that "Trump is in the Epstein files," a claim that was subsequently removed within 24 hours.
Musk's initial post included a provocative statement: "Time to drop the really big bomb," followed by an allegation that "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" According to One America News, this assertion came on the heels of the Department of Justice's February disclosure of over 100 pages of Epstein's phone contacts and flight logs, which were linked to sex trafficking allegations against the disgraced financier.
Epstein, who had connections with prominent political figures such as former President Bill Clinton, has been a focal point of public intrigue and speculation.
In response to Musk's claims, David Schoen, Epstein's former attorney, took to X to refute any involvement of President Trump. "I was hired to lead Jeffrey Epsteins defense as his criminal lawyer 9 days before he died," Schoen stated. "He sought my advice for months before that. I can say authoritatively, unequivocally, and definitively that he had no information to hurt President Trump. I specifically asked him!"
White House officials have indicated that any association between the President and Epstein is likely to surface with a full release of information, yet they do not anticipate any incriminating evidence against Trump. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented on the situation, saying, "This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again."
Musk also hinted at the potential decommissioning of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, a move that would have significant implications given that SpaceX is currently the sole U.S. company capable of ferrying crews to and from the International Space Station with its four-person Dragon capsules. However, he later reversed this decision in a reply to another X user, indicating that the spacecraft would remain operational.
The unfolding events highlight the ongoing tensions between influential figures and the complexities of navigating public discourse in the digital age. As the situation develops, the focus remains on the implications for both SpaceX's operations and the broader political landscape.
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