Tech giant Elon Musk has started an online campaign against the Democratic Party as US citizens prepare to vote on Tuesday, November 5, to elect their next president.
Musk, who owns the social media platform X, expressed his outrage over the killing of internet sensation Peanut the Squirrel by authorities. The squirrel was seized from its owner’s home and euthanised by state officials. The tech giant criticised the authorities, claiming that former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump would “save the squirrels.”
In a series of posts on X, Elon Musk sharply criticised the government for what he described as “overreach” in the handling of a case involving Peanut the Squirrel.
"Government overreach kidnapped an orphan squirrel and executed him,” Musk wrote, condemning what he considered unnecessary interference. “The government should leave people and their animals alone,” he added.
The tech billionaire spent much of the day discussing the issue, drawing a comparison to the vengeance-driven plot of John Wick. “John Wick just wanted peace, but then [they] killed his innocent, beloved dog,” Musk posted, likening the fictional character's loss to Peanut’s fate.
Peanut’s death quickly became a rallying symbol for supporters of former President Trump on X. Many shared AI-generated images of the squirrel sporting MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats.
“Reminder: Kamala’s party executed a cute pet squirrel named Peanut this week because they’re lunatics. Vote Trump to avenge Peanut!” conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck posted, along with one of the AI-generated images. “Serious note: If Trump includes Peanut in his speech with a RIP graphic, this race is officially over. We want justice for Peanut!” he added.
Many users criticised what they perceived as government overreach, voicing concerns about unchecked authority, especially in states like New York.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reported that they had launched an investigation after receiving information about “potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets.”
According to a statement from the DEC, on October 30 they removed a raccoon and a squirrel from a residence due to potential rabies exposure. Additionally, a person involved in the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanised, CBS News reported.
