Maine Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner ignited a firestorm on social media after attacking Elon Musks newly minted status as the worlds first trillionaire.
According to Fox News, Platner took to X on Friday and declared, "Elon Musk just became the worlds first trillionaire," before adding, "Lets make sure hes also the last." His post, viewed more than 2 million times by Friday evening, was a reaction to news that Musks SpaceX began trading at $150 a share, well above its $135 listing price, propelling Musk into trillionaire territory following the companys initial public offering.
The backlash from conservatives was swift and unforgiving, with critics arguing that Platners rhetoric betrayed a hostility toward wealth creation and free-market success. Many also seized the moment to resurface a series of damaging allegations that have dogged Platners campaign, including reports of infidelity, a Nazi tattoo, physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend and past social media posts disparaging the military and rural America.
"Communists can never quite grasp that if you make Musk poorer, you make millions of others poorer in the process because unlike them, he actually creates value for others in society," Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. "It's deranged." Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee joined the pile-on, writing, ""Pick your fighter," Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee posted on X. "Guy who innovates constantly, has built phenomenally successful businesses, and now reaps the rewards.
PLATNER CAMPAIGN ROCKED WITH DAMNING ALLEGATIONS FROM ANOTHER EX-LOVER AS SENATE RACE HEATS UP: REPORT Guy who thought it wise to permanently stain his chest with a Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo." Conservative commentator Blake Neff, a producer for the Charlie Kirk show, was even more blunt, writing on X, "Worth reminding everyone that in addition to being a pathological liar Graham Platner also has the economic views of third world resentment socialists."
California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak criticized Platners post as emblematic of a defeatist, anti-capitalist mindset that punishes success instead of emulating it. "This is loserthink," Pollak wrote on X. "Musk's IPO is making millions of Americans wealthier. And his success is inspiring others: If it can happen for an immigrant kid -- why not me? The winning way to think -- the AMERICAN way to think -- is: Let's make some more trillionaires! "
Actor Dean Cain echoed that sentiment, framing Musks success as something to be celebrated, not curtailed. "I hope @elonmusk is the first of many trillionaires," Cain posted on X. " Pray for others to have his success and continue to change the world for the better, for EVERYONE!!"
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to Platners campaign for comment, but no response was immediately available. Platner has already been under sustained scrutiny for what critics say is an exaggerated blue-collar narrative and his embrace of the far-left economic agenda championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has enthusiastically endorsed his candidacy.
While Platner rails against Musks wealth, the market has delivered a starkly different verdict on the entrepreneurs value to the economy. Musks rocket and satellite company has raised a record $75 billion, valuing SpaceX at roughly $1.8 trillion and boosting the value of Musks stake in the firm to an estimated $690 billion, with the stock trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker "SPCX" after its Thursday pricing.
When trading began, SpaceX shares surged to $168.75 before trimming gains to around $158, then rebounding to a fresh high of $176.52 and closing at $160.95 per share. Combined with his holdings in electric vehicle maker Tesla and other investments and assets, Musks net worth is now estimated at about $1.1 trillion, a figure that reflects not just personal fortune but the markets confidence in his companies innovation and productivity.
Investor interest has been overwhelming, underscoring how many Americans and global investors want a stake in Musks ventures rather than a government-led effort to tear them down. Reuters reported that SpaceX attracted more than $250 billion in orders, while Bloomberg News noted that retail investors alone submitted over $70 billion in requests for shares, with at least 20% of the offering expected to go to individual investors an unusually generous allocation in a deal of this magnitude.
As Platner positions himself as a progressive crusader against billionaires and now trillionaires, conservatives argue that his rhetoric targets the very engine of American prosperity: risk-taking entrepreneurs whose success lifts millions of ordinary investors and workers. The contrast between a candidate calling to cap wealth and a company that just opened unprecedented opportunities for retail investors may prove a defining fault line in Maines Senate race, where voters will decide whether they want to punish success or participate in it.
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