A cryptic social media post from Elon Musk has ignited a political controversy, following a viral video in which an anonymous TikTok user claimed the Tesla and SpaceX CEO was "about to die".
The Viral Exchange and Musk's Ominous Retort
The incident began when an unidentified TikToker, reported to be from Somalia, was livestreaming. During the broadcast, she displayed a video of Elon Musk and stated she was not worried about him, bluntly adding: "He is about to die." The clip quickly spread across social platforms.
Musk, never one to shy away from a direct engagement, responded on his platform, X. His reply was brief and chilling: "Then it is war." The three-word retort has since been viewed millions of times, amplifying the original video's reach and drawing intense scrutiny.
Despite the TikToker's identity and location remaining unknown, the exchange has been seized upon by political figures. Several members of the US Republican party have called for her deportation, even though it is unclear if she resides in the United States.
Broader Political Tensions and Trump's Focus on Minnesota
This online clash occurs against a backdrop of heightened tension between the Somali American community and the US government. Minnesota, home to America's largest Somali population, has been a specific focus of former President Donald Trump's rhetoric. In recent weeks, Trump claimed immigrants from Somalia were "ruining" the state, labelled the country "barely a country", and referred to Somali immigrants as "garbage".
According to the United States census, there are approximately 98,000 Somali immigrants living in the US, with around 83% holding naturalised citizenship. Trump's stance appears linked to the presence of Islamic State (IS) groups within Somalia, whom he has threatened directly, vowing: "WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU."
US military involvement has intensified, with American air strikes in Somalia doubling since 2024 as the administration targets militant cells.
Childcare Fraud Allegations and Funding Fallout
Separately, a viral video from right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley has triggered significant policy repercussions. Shirley's footage, shot at a closed Somali-run daycare centre in Minneapolis called the Quality Learning Centre, questioned the facility's operations and implied misuse of federal childcare funds.
The video's allegations prompted Donald Trump to suspend all federal childcare funding for the state of Minnesota. In the days following the video's publication, a second Somali-operated daycare was broken into and "extensively vandalised".
Ibrahim Ali, manager of the Quality Learning Centre, has vehemently denied any fraud. He pointed out that Shirley filmed at around 11am, while the centre operates from 2pm to 10pm. Ali has publicly invited sceptics to visit during actual operating hours to see the legitimate work being done.
The convergence of these events—a viral social media threat, a powerful billionaire's stark response, and pre-existing political tensions over immigration and public funding—illustrates how online sparks can rapidly inflame real-world political and social conflicts.
