Elon Musk Deletes $1M Tweet After Legal Concerns Arise

Elon Musk has once again ignited controversy—this time for a now-deleted tweet in which he appeared to offer financial incentives tied to voting.

Late Friday night, Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he would be giving away two $1 million checks to individuals attending a Sunday event in Wisconsin—on the condition that they had voted in the state's Supreme Court election.

“On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election. I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote. This is super important.”

The tweet quickly went viral, racking up over 19 million views before being quietly removed hours later with no public explanation.

Although Musk has not commented on why he deleted the post, legal experts were quick to point out that offering monetary rewards for voting can violate federal election laws.

Under U.S. law, it's illegal to offer or provide anything of value to influence someone's decision to vote—or to reward them for doing so. Despite Musk’s framing of the offer as a "thank you," the post's conditions raised immediate concerns about voter inducement.

As a Senior Advisor to the White House and a Special Government Employee (SGE), Musk is bound by even stricter ethical and legal rules when it comes to political activity. His dual role as a private citizen and government-affiliated figure could further muddy the waters.

While Musk hasn't issued a formal response, deleting the tweet may signal recognition of its legal risks. However, with millions having already seen the post, some argue the damage—intentional or not—might already be done.