The @dudes4harris account on X, formerly Twitter, was temporarily suspended on Monday after raising $4 million for Kamala Harris' campaign. Event organizer Ross Morales Rocketto suggested the suspension was due to Elon Musk getting "scared." Musk, the SpaceX founder, endorsed Donald Trump earlier this month.
The group held a digital fundraiser on Monday evening to support Harris' presidential bid. Nearly 200,000 Democrats attended the online rally, including celebrities Mark Hamill, Jeff Bridges, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bradley Whitford, Sean Astin, and Josh Groban.
During the event, Jeff Bridges addressed the attendees, saying, "I accepted the invitation not so much as being white, and I certainly am, but because I'm a dude. I qualify, man. I'm white, I'm a dude, and I'm for Harris."
Following the suspension, organizers created a backup account, @dudesforharris, which quickly garnered over 20,000 followers before the original account was reinstated. The ban raised eyebrows among Democrats, as Musk has previously described himself as a "free speech absolutist."
After the suspension was lifted, the group tweeted, "Uh oh... we pissed off @elonmusk (don't worry... can't keep a good dude offline for long)." This post quickly gained thousands of views. Democratic supporters accused Musk of "election interference."
One user commented, "Haha election interference at its finest LOL." Another said, "Elon Musk is about to find out that it's liberal white guys that buy his cars and stock. 'ImMa fREe SpeEcH aBsOluTisT!'" A third added, "Elon thinks he's the king of the white dudes."
The temporary suspension and subsequent reactions highlight the ongoing tension between social media platforms and political activities. It also raises questions about the influence of prominent tech figures on political discourse. Despite the brief setback, the White Dudes for Harris campaign continues to gain traction and support among Democratic voters.
