Conservative social media accounts on X are accusing Elon Musk of removing their checkmarks in retaliation for speaking out against an expansion of the H-1B program, which he has publicly backed.
An account on the social media platform with the handle of @ConservativeOG, which totals more than 430,000 followers and vows to "embrace traditionalism" and "reject modernity," claimed to have lost its verification status alongside all its influencers.
"Our brand did nothing," Conservative wrote on X on Friday. "We spoke out against HB1 visas and it appears that @elonmusk intentionally shut us down? Is this the new status quo from America's 'most free' social media platform?" The post was accompanied by a screenshot saying the account was "under review for verification as a Premium Plus subscriber."
Despite users' claims, there's no evidence that Musk has ordered X to remove the blue tick from subscribers who have criticized him and the H-1B visa program. Newsweek attempted to contact Musk for comment by emailing X, SpaceX and Tesla press offices on Friday.
Why It Matters
Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's recent posts on X supporting the expansion of the H-1B program, which offers visas to highly skilled foreign workers, have created a rift within the MAGA movement, with Donald Trump supporters suddenly souring on the two men.
Musk and Ramaswamy, who have been chosen by the president-elect to lead his newly formed advisory Department of Government Efficiency, have both said that hiring skilled foreign workers is crucial for some U.S. companies to operate, especially those in the tech industry.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Musk said that American tech companies need "double" the amount of "super talented engineers" they have today.
"Think of this like a pro sports team: if you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be. That enables the whole TEAM to win," Musk wrote.
"OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process," he added, in another post. "HOWEVER, there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America."
Musk, who was born in Pretoria, South Africa, came to the U.S. as a foreign student and later worked in the country on an H-1B visa. Ramaswamy's parents immigrated to the U.S. from India.
The comments inflamed die-hard MAGA supporters who would like to see Trump curb immigration and boost employment in the U.S. in the next four years, creating a rift between the movement's historic base and the President-elect's new allies in the tech industry.
What To Know
Several conservative accounts on X have talked about the sudden disappearance of the blue ticks among their network over the past 24 hours.
Ryan Fournier, chair of Students for Trump, wrote on the platform that X had removed his blue mark, though he had been a verified user since 2016. "X removed my checkmark. I have no clue why. I didn't update anything and my @ConservativeOG badge was removed," he wrote. "Odd," he added.
New York-based conservative activist Gavin Mario Wax reported something similar, writing on X that his verification badge was now under review. "Weird! Didn't change anything," he wrote.
Both men had expressed strong criticism of the H-1B program on the social media platform, with Wax even resharing posts from people calling for it to be eliminated entirely.
But there's some confusion over how many accounts have lost their blue ticks recently, with some claiming the disappearance has affected others beyond those who were criticizing Musk. A user who describes themselves as an "American imperialist" and uses the handle of @Cernovich wrote on the platform that "multiple accounts that never posted about H-1B are having blue checks removed. Looks like something else, not some retaliation or what others suggested."
According to X guidelines, the platform may remove a subscriber's checkmark at any time without notice "to minimize confusion and promote integrity on the platform" in cases of "changes to your profile photo, display name, or username" or if the account was found to be in violation of the platform's rules.
What People Are Saying
Ron Filipkowski, attorney and editor-in-chief at MeidasTouch Network, a liberal news website, wrote on X: "Petty Elon gets his revenge on MAGA critics."
Ian Miles Cheong, co-host of the Other View Podcast, wrote on X: "It's wild to see MAGA turning against Elon, Vivek, David Sacks etc. Wild."
What's Next
While Trump has restricted access to foreign visas during his previous administration and has spoken against the H-1B program before, it's unclear whether he'll stick to his "America First" hard-line approach or if he'll be persuaded by the likes of Musk and Ramaswamy to soften his stance on foreign workers during his second term in office.
It would be a political gamble for Trump to follow Musk's and Ramaswamy's advice, or even stick by them. Already far-right activist Laura Loomer, one of Trump's most loyal supporters, has accused Ramaswamy on social media of trying to change the policies she voted for.
"It's not racist against Indians to want the original MAGA policies I voted for," she wrote. "I voted for a reduction in H1B visas. Not an extension."
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