Elon Musk, billionaire entrepreneur and incoming advisor to US President-elect Donald Trump, reignited tensions with the UK government this week, sharing a deeply personal tale about his British grandmother, Cora Amelia Robinson, while launching scathing critiques against top British officials.
Musk spoke of his grandmother, a working-class woman who survived poverty during the Great Depression and the bombings of World War II. “She cleaned houses to put food on the table,” Musk said, adding, “If she were alive in present-day Britain, she might have been abducted.” The comment came as Musk criticized the government’s handling of child grooming gangs and historic abuse cases.
Targeting labour leadership
The Tesla CEO took to his social media platform, X, to accuse UK Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips of being a “rape genocide apologist” and called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s removal, suggesting he should face jail time for his role in prosecuting child abuse cases.
Musk even polled his followers, asking whether the US should “liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government.” The question, though posed provocatively, sparked widespread debate, with some seeing it as satire and others as a direct challenge to UK leadership.
Starmer hits back
In a Monday news conference, Starmer defended his tenure as the UK’s director of public prosecutions, stating that record numbers of child sexual abuse cases were prosecuted during his leadership. He condemned Musk’s comments, saying, “Those spreading lies and misinformation aren’t interested in victims. They’re interested in themselves.”
Starmer also addressed threats made to Jess Phillips, calling it a “poison of the far right” and adding, “A line has been crossed. Politics must be based on facts, not the desperation for attention.”
‘Do something, Musk’
Health Minister Wes Streeting joined the fray, labeling Musk’s remarks about Phillips a “disgraceful smear” and challenging him to “roll up his sleeves” to combat violence against women and children. Streeting also highlighted the role of digital platforms, like Musk’s X, in ensuring online safety.
A special relationship in peril?
The Musk-Starmer clash comes at a critical time for UK-US relations. With Trump set to begin his second presidency, concerns are mounting over the fate of the “special relationship.” The European Union has already been courting closer ties with Britain to shield itself from potential US trade tariffs.
As Musk continues to stoke controversy, his growing influence in Trump’s administration and his penchant for provocation leave the world watching—and wondering—what’s next for UK-US diplomacy.
