Elon Musk’s recent comments targeting U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other British officials have raised concerns about potential strains in U.S.-U.K. relations. Musk, a billionaire tech mogul and close adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, accused Starmer of complicity in mishandling decades-old child grooming gang scandals during his tenure as the U.K.’s director of public prosecutions.
Musk’s remarks, shared with his 211 million followers on X, included accusations against Starmer and Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, whom he called a “rape genocide apologist” and a “witch” deserving of prison. He also suggested the U.S. might need to “liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government,” a statement drawing sharp rebukes in both countries.
The comments stem from widespread allegations of systemic failures by British authorities in addressing grooming gangs, predominantly involving men of Pakistani descent, who targeted thousands of English girls. Investigations into the scandal have revealed significant negligence at multiple levels of government, which Musk has repeatedly criticized as emblematic of broader governance failures in the U.K.
British officials reacted strongly to Musk’s statements. BBC political editor Nicholas Watt reported “horror at the highest levels of government,” with concerns that Musk’s comments could complicate the long-standing security partnership between the U.S. and U.K. Watt suggested that a key question remains: whether Musk’s views reflect the stance of the incoming Trump administration.
Trump, at a Mar-a-Lago press conference Tuesday, brushed off concerns, calling Musk’s work “very good” but claiming no knowledge of the specific remarks.
Prime Minister Starmer denied Musk’s allegations, saying, “Those spreading lies and misinformation … are not interested in victims. They’re interested in themselves.” Starmer served as the U.K.’s top prosecutor from 2008 to 2013, during the time these scandals became widely known.
Musk’s criticism of Starmer’s Labour government follows his earlier claims that Britain operates as a “police state.” He has called for the release of right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, currently imprisoned for contempt of court, with Musk’s father, Errol Musk, controversially comparing Robinson to Nelson Mandela.
The escalating rhetoric raises questions about the potential impact on the U.S.-U.K. alliance under the Trump administration, with political observers noting that such remarks could test the resilience of this historically close relationship.
