Elon Musk’s digital empire is facing new turbulence—with thousands of Americans suddenly locked out of his prized social media platform, X, on Wednesday. The billionaire entrepreneur, never far from controversy, is once again in the spotlight as critics and supporters weigh in on the latest crisis.
According to the Daily Mail, X, formerly known as Twitter, went offline for much of the U.S. on Wednesday, leaving users frustrated and fueling debate about Musk’s stewardship of the $44 billion platform. The outage is only the latest in a string of setbacks for Musk this year, as he also contends with political defeats and a steep drop in Tesla’s fortunes.
Reports flooded in from the East Coast and major cities—including Dallas, Los Angeles, and Chicago—where users found themselves unable to access X either on the web or via mobile app.
Downdetector, a service that tracks online disruptions, confirmed the widespread nature of the problem. As the outage persisted, users vented their anger and disappointment, questioning Musk’s management and the reliability of the platform under his ownership.
Discontent spread rapidly as Americans lost access to X, sparking heated discussions across the internet. Downdetector began logging complaints around 11 a.m. Eastern, with a significant spike two hours later as more users realized they were locked out. Frustration mounted as roughly 56 percent cited issues with the website, 35 percent reported mobile app failures, and 9 percent experienced server connection problems.
For many, the outage was more than an inconvenience. Social media users rely on X for news, networking, and free speech. One user’s post on Downdetector summed up the anger felt by many:
This is Why Discord and Youtube is Way better Platform than Twitter. There Hardly any Random outages on those Sites. #ElonMuskResign
The technical causes remain unclear, but experts warn that failed server connections can lead to service disruptions, data loss, and even security vulnerabilities. The timing and scale of the crash raised eyebrows, especially as Musk faces mounting pressure on several fronts.
Elon Musk’s woes extend far beyond Wednesday’s outage. Just weeks earlier, Musk and his supporters suffered a political setback in Wisconsin, where Democrat Susan Crawford defeated Republican Brad Schimel in a high-profile Supreme Court race. Musk and his allies reportedly spent more than $20 million backing Schimel in hopes of shifting the state court’s ideological balance.
Adding to Musk’s headaches, Tesla’s stock value plunged in April, with sales dropping 13 percent. Analysts have pointed to Musk’s polarizing social media activity and stiff competition from Chinese automakers as contributing factors. Critics argue that Musk’s outspoken posts on X, including controversial political commentary, may be alienating consumers and investors.
Musk’s international profile has also taken hits. He recently faced allegations—unproven and strongly denied—of making a Nazi salute at President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The controversy has fueled anti-Tesla protests and even vandalism of the company’s vehicles, including the Model 3, Model X, and the Cybertruck.
The outage comes at a sensitive time for Musk, who has made X his principal outlet for sharing views and rallying followers. The platform’s reliability is now in question, with critics seizing the moment to highlight what they see as a pattern of mismanagement since Musk’s high-profile acquisition.
Meanwhile, Musk’s visibility in government has diminished. After spending the first 100 days of President Trump’s new term frequently at the White House—including attending Cabinet meetings and even bringing his young son to budget briefings—Musk is reportedly no longer a regular presence. Trump’s chief of staff revealed that Musk has been absent from the West Wing for several weeks.
Supporters argue that Musk remains a visionary whose bold moves—whether in tech, business, or politics—inevitably attract controversy and resistance. They point to his continued investments and willingness to challenge the status quo as proof of his value to both industry and public discourse.
Elon Musk, the billionaire behind some of the world’s most influential tech companies, was thrust into the headlines this week as X crashed for thousands of users across the United States. The outage, which struck major cities and disrupted daily routines, has intensified scrutiny of Musk’s management amid a year already marked by political and financial setbacks.
Wednesday’s outage left Americans asking tough questions about the platform’s future and Musk’s ability to steer it through turbulent times. As critics and supporters continue to spar, the fate of X—and Musk’s $44 billion gamble—hangs in the balance. For now, the tech mogul faces yet another test of leadership as his digital ambitions collide with real-world challenges.
