Musk under fire: California governor slams billionaire for spreading looting myths

California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused billionaire Elon Musk of "encouraging looting" in a heated exchange over disinformation related to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

The confrontation began when Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter) and a prominent supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, reposted a message falsely claiming Newsom and California Democrats had "decriminalized looting," preventing law enforcement from arresting or prosecuting offenders, Caliber.Az reports via UK media.

“Stop encouraging looting by lying and telling people it’s decriminalized. It’s not,” Newsom fired back in a post. “It’s illegal – as it always has been.”

The clash unfolded against the backdrop of widespread looting fears, as thousands of residents evacuated fire-threatened neighborhoods. Authorities have arrested approximately 30 individuals on suspicion of looting. One suspect, disguised as a firefighter, was caught at a fire-damaged home, while two others were detained near Vice President Kamala Harris's Los Angeles residence but later released due to insufficient evidence.

Newsom's remarks followed a viral post featuring a television interview in which he declared "zero tolerance for looters." The post falsely claimed Democrats had effectively legalized looting. Musk amplified the narrative by reposting it with a clown emoji and a globe, sparking backlash from Newsom.

The accusations against Newsom seem to stem from his opposition to Proposition 36, a 2024 ballot initiative that imposed stricter penalties for certain crimes, including shoplifting and theft. Critics tied this stance to earlier changes under Proposition 47 in 2014, which reduced some minor offences to misdemeanours. However, neither initiative explicitly addressed looting.

Musk’s criticism aligns with broader Republican attacks on California’s handling of the fires, with Trump and his allies blaming the disaster on liberal policies. They have also targeted Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, accusing her of prioritizing diversity over safety measures.

Newsom expanded his concerns to include Trump, who alleged firefighters were hindered by water shortages in local reservoirs — a claim dismissed by water experts who confirmed that reservoir levels were at record highs when the fires began.

The wildfires, which erupted on January 7 in the Pacific Palisades area, have caused widespread destruction, fueled by hurricane-force winds. Approximately 180,000 residents have been displaced, and thousands of structures, including homes of celebrities like Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, and Paris Hilton, have been destroyed.

President Joe Biden declared the fires a major natural disaster, unlocking federal aid for California. Trump, however, described the destruction as surpassing “the damage from a nuclear strike.”

By Tamilla Hasanova