Vox
July 2, 2026
Elon Musk's Promotion of Anti-Immigrant Film
TL;DR
Elon Musk has promoted the obscure film Citizen Vigilante, which depicts a vigilante murdering migrants in Europe, reflecting his recent embrace of anti-immigration rhetoric that contradicts evidence showing no link between immigration and crime rates.
Key Takeaways
- 1Elon Musk heavily promoted Citizen Vigilante on X, streaming it for 48 hours and posting extensively about the film
- 2The film depicts a vigilante killing migrants and their families, framed as a solution to Europe's refugee crisis
- 3Research shows no correlation between immigration rates and crime in the US or EU, contradicting the film's premise
- 4Musk's promotion reflects his growing adoption of anti-immigration narratives about Western countries being 'invaded'
- 5His ownership of X has given him significant platform power to amplify divisive racial messaging
Notable Quotes
“Studies consistently show that there is no link between immigration rates and crime rates either in the US or in the EU.”
“Elon Musk has become obsessed with this racist anti-immigrant idea that Western countries are under invasion by people from the global south.”
Chapters
1. Musk's Promotion of Citizen Vigilante
Elon Musk has shown an unusual obsession with the obscure film Citizen Vigilante, posting extensively about it and streaming it on X for 48 hours. The film stars Armie Hammer as a vigilante in an unnamed European country.
2. The Film's Premise and Message
Citizen Vigilante depicts a protagonist murdering migrants and their families, framing this as a response to violent crime allegedly caused by Europe's refugee crisis. The narrative promotes the idea that killing immigrants is a solution to security problems.
3. Reality vs. Narrative
Studies consistently show no link between immigration rates and crime in either the US or the EU, contradicting the film's central premise and the anti-immigration arguments Musk has been promoting.
4. Musk's Broader Anti-Immigration Stance
Musk has recently embraced the racist narrative that Western countries are under 'invasion' by people from the global south. His promotion of Citizen Vigilante exemplifies his use of platform power to amplify these divisive messaging.
5. Platform Power and Influence
The film's climb up the charts following Musk's promotion demonstrates the significant influence he wields through X ownership and how effectively he can use the platform to push racist messaging to millions of users.
Key People & Entities
- Elon Musk
- Owner of X (formerly Twitter), promoted Citizen Vigilante and has adopted anti-immigration rhetoric
- Armie Hammer
- Actor who stars as the vigilante protagonist in Citizen Vigilante
Glossary
- Refugee crisis
- The large-scale movement of refugees fleeing conflict or persecution, particularly referencing the migration waves to Europe in recent years
- Platform power
- The significant influence and reach that owners of large social media or communication platforms have to shape public discourse and amplify messaging