Elon Musk has publicly attacked French judicial authorities as they continue an investigation into alleged abuses on his X social‑media platform.
French prosecutors opened a formal inquiry in January 2025 after reports that X, formerly Twitter, was used to interfere in French political processes. The investigation, initially focused on electoral influence, has since expanded to include accusations of Holocaust denial, the sharing of sexual deep‑fake content and, most recently, possible involvement in the distribution of child sexual‑abuse material.
In response to the latest development, Musk posted a comment in French on Friday, describing the investigators as “faker than a chocolate euro and gayer than a flamingo in a neon tutu.” The remark follows a previous statement in which he referred to the magistrates as “mentally retarded,” a comment made after French police raided X’s Paris office in mid‑February. The raid was portrayed by the company as an “abusive judicial action with political motives,” and X denied any wrongdoing.
Both Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino have been summoned for an informal interview with the French judiciary. According to court records, the summons was not obeyed, and no official response from the platform’s legal team has been made public.
The probe is being conducted by the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) in cooperation with the Directorate of Central Intelligence and the Cybercrime Unit. Investigators are examining user data, platform algorithms and internal communications to determine whether X was systematically used to spread disinformation, extremist content or illegal images.
The expansion of the investigation reflects a broader European focus on the accountability of large tech firms for content moderation and political influence. Similar inquiries are underway in Germany and the United Kingdom, where regulators are scrutinising the role of social‑media giants in election integrity and the dissemination of harmful material.
French authorities have indicated that the inquiry could lead to formal charges if sufficient evidence of criminal conduct is found. Musk’s public denouncements have drawn criticism from human‑rights groups, who warn that such rhetoric may undermine the rule of law and distract from the substantive issues under review.
The case remains ongoing, with the next phase likely to involve the collection of additional digital evidence and potential testimony from senior X officials. Outcomes could set precedents for how multinational digital platforms are held accountable for content that breaches national laws.
