Musk Slams 'Puppetmasters' as Protesters Struggle to Explain Why They Call Trump a 'Fascist'

Elon Musk took a sharp jab at what he called 'puppetmasters' over the weekend, after a viral video showed anti-Trump protesters fumbling to explain why they labeled former President Donald Trump a 'fascist.' The irony was almost palpable as demonstrators stumbled through vague accusations and questionable claims.

"The problem is the puppetmasters, not the puppets, as the latter have no idea why they are even there," Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, sharing a clip of protesters struggling to articulate their objections to Trump. The video, recorded by political strategist Ted Goodman during protests in Washington, D.C., captured moments that were both awkward and revealing.

One protester, holding a sign that read "The Fascist Trump Regime Must Go," explained his reasoning by saying, "He just does everything he wants… He's a convicted felon, you know, that's all I know." Another protester, when pressed for evidence of Trump’s alleged fascism, claimed, "He's trying to control the media." Goodman countered, "Doesn't every president try to control the narrative?" The exchange felt less like a debate and more like a comedy sketch.

One protester even brought up a bizarre grievance, claiming Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico and barred the Associated Press from the White House. The reasoning seemed as murky as the Gulf itself. Meanwhile, the first protester admitted he was at the demonstration because he "saw people were hanging out," while another cited "executive overreach" without offering specifics.

The viral video garnered over 12 million views on X by Sunday afternoon, bringing the protests—and their questionable messaging—into the national spotlight. Across the country, more than 1,200 demonstrations were held Saturday, targeting issues such as reciprocal tariffs, federal layoffs, immigration reforms, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk is helping lead. If there was a unified theme, it seemed lost in translation.

Critics of these protests have raised eyebrows over their grassroots credibility, speculating that they might be part of an "astroturf" campaign—essentially a fabricated movement designed to appear organic. Musk himself questioned the origins of such protests, asking on X last weekend, "Who is funding and organizing all these paid protests?"

These anti-Trump demonstrations follow a week of protests aimed at Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle company, which has become a lightning rod for criticism due to its CEO’s political affiliations. Amid vandalism of Tesla vehicles and calls for boycotts, Musk’s political stance has clearly struck a nerve, though whether the protests are spontaneous or orchestrated remains an open question.

One protester from a New York demonstration described their motivation as a fight against "robber barons trying to take away all of our rights, benefits, and liberty." Another lamented the perceived erosion of democracy, claiming, "We are almost in a fascist state right now—only because the rule of law is bending right now, and it may break." While these sentiments are strong, the specifics remain elusive.

The weekend protests highlight a growing divide in the nation’s political discourse, with Musk emerging as a polarizing figure. Whether the protests are grassroots or manufactured, one thing is clear: the puppets and puppetmasters have some explaining to do.