In a jaw-dropping twist to Elon Musk’s rollercoaster public image, a recent nationwide poll revealed that 53.5% of Americans now hold an unfavorable view of the billionaire innovator. Once revered as a modern-day Tony Stark, Musk is facing a wave of skepticism, criticism, and outright rejection — and in true Elon fashion, he’s not taking it quietly.
📉 The Numbers Don’t Lie
Conducted by the respected Public Sentiment Index Group, the survey sampled 12,000+ Americans across all states and demographics. The result? A stunning 53.5% said they would not support or endorse Elon Musk in any form — politically, professionally, or culturally. The remaining 46.5% was split between loyal supporters, neutral observers, and those “on the fence.”
This marks the lowest popularity rating for Musk in the past decade, and the internet has not been kind.
“I loved him when he was making rockets. Now he’s just making noise,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
🔥 Musk’s Response: “This Is a Coordinated Hit Job”
Never one to stay silent, Elon Musk took to X to fire back at critics and label the entire polling campaign a ‘grand conspiracy.’
“It’s obvious. Certain media, political groups, and corporate lobbies want me out of the picture,” Musk wrote. “They can’t control me, so they try to cancel me. But I won’t stop.”
He went on to suggest that his push for free speech, open AI, and clean energy has made him a target for legacy institutions threatened by disruption.
He even hinted at unnamed tech CEOs and media moguls collaborating behind closed doors:
“Ask yourself why I’m being hit from all sides just as we’re about to land Neuralink’s second implant and launch the first crewed Mars test module.”
Conspiracy or not, the statement lit up social media — sparking memes, parodies, think-pieces, and more memes.
🧨 What’s Driving the Backlash?
Several factors seem to be fueling Musk’s decline in favorability:
- X/Twitter Dramas: Since acquiring Twitter, now X, Musk’s unfiltered tweets and chaotic policy changes have alienated former fans and advertisers alike.
- Political Tensions: His increasingly vocal opinions on U.S. politics have turned him into a polarizing figure, with critics calling out inconsistency and inflammatory rhetoric.
- Workplace Controversies: Reports of harsh management tactics at Tesla, X, and SpaceX have resurfaced, raising concerns about company culture.
- Public Stunts: From challenging Mark Zuckerberg to a cage fight to endorsing controversial conspiracy theories, Musk’s headlines often read more like satire than science.
🚀 Supporters Say “Let Elon Be Elon”
Despite the backlash, Musk still enjoys a fiercely loyal fanbase. Defenders argue that his work in space travel, electric vehicles, and brain-computer interfaces far outweighs the noise.
“The man is building a multiplanetary species and solving traffic. So what if he posts memes?” tweeted one follower.
Tesla stock remains relatively stable, SpaceX continues to hit milestones, and Neuralink is pushing ahead with human trials. For many, Musk is the necessary chaos in a world that needs shaking up.
🧠 Bigger Picture: Genius or Jester?
Elon Musk’s sharp fall in popularity raises a compelling question: Can a revolutionary mind survive in the age of endless scrutiny?
Is Musk a misunderstood visionary battling entrenched power structures—or a provocateur unraveling under the weight of his own ego?
One thing’s certain: Elon Musk doesn’t plan on fading into the background.
“If you think I’m unpopular now, wait until you see what I launch next,” he teased on X.
And with Musk, we never know if that means a new AI assistant, a Mars colony update, or a flame-throwing flamethrower that tweets for itself.
