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The unfortunate incident of the shooting of former US President Donald Trump has opened up a plethora of reactions of varying magnitude from different corners of the world, from outside and inside the United States.
Many have espoused their support for the former president and condemned the violence that was inflicted not just on one person but also on those who were present at the event and who watched it on their screens around the globe.
Elon Musk Attacks Secret Service
Elon Musk initially took to X, his own social media platform, to express solidarity with the former president, saying, "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery".
Now, in another set of posts on the platform, Musk has taken aim at the US Secret Service, which is responsible for the protection of the VVIPS, like presidents or former presidents.
The head of EV maker Tesla and space exploration entity SpaceX has accused the coveted United States service of incompetence. In a post, quoting a conservative right-wing handle, a few hours after the incident, Musk said, "The head of the Secret Service and the leader of this security detail should resign".
In the post that Musk has quoted, a bystander accused the Secret Service of ignoring the concerns of people who signalled trouble when they alerted the security officials to a "suspicious man on a roof with a rifle.".
Musk further upped the ante and took to his account again to underscore the alleged negligence, this time in an ostensibly disguised tone.
Incompetence or Deliberate
In his post, Musk reiterated his argument, accused the ruling establishment of foul-play and said, "Extreme incompetence or it was deliberate." He further added, "Either way, the SS leadership must resign."
Here, interestingly, although secret service could be the entity in focus, the choice to use the term "the SS leadership" could be controversial. Here, Musk, knowingly or inadvertently, is alleged to have invoked the German Nazi unit that was characterised by extreme brutality, the Schutzstaffel or the SS unit.
Now, whether this was intentional or accidental is yet to be known. But, given the 53-year-old's tendency to make abstruse and concerning comments under the garb of humour, one cannot entirely dismiss the possibility.
