Elon Musk receives Republican support against censorship of Twitter

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Elon Musk has found supporters and allies among the Republican leadership in Washington D.C. against the suppression and censorship of Twitter — and free speech — by the White House.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that the Biden administration in the White House needs to keep its hands off Twitter. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he said he found it offensive that the Biden administration would even consider going after Musk or his newly-acquired platform, which he has turned into a space for freedom of speech.

“I think our First Amendment stands up and I think they should stop picking on Elon Musk,” McCarthy said. “Elon Musk has succeeded in many places, I’d bet on him more than government going after you.”

House @GOPLeader McCarthy on WH "keeping an eye on Twitter under @elonmusk ownership"

"Government is gonna go after someone that wants to have free speech. What do they have to look at Twitter about?…I think they should stop picking on Elon Musk" pic.twitter.com/iHkhPIMLnj

— Mona Salama (@MonaSalama_) November 29, 2022

Earlier this year, Musk called for independent voters to support a Republican takeover of Congress to maintain a balance of power in Washington D.C., which is currently under the control of Democrats, who have full possession of the executive branch and the House of Representatives.

McCarthy’s remarks come a day after Musk declared war on Apple over free speech, which allegedly threatened to withhold Twitter from the app store for reasons that were not disclosed to him.

This week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a member of the establishment press, which repeatedly spurred her on, that the White House was “monitoring” Twitter and Musk.