Fact Check: "The 2024 election was stolen by Elon Musk being in charge of the voting computers as Trump claimed on stage"
What We Know
Claims have emerged suggesting that Elon Musk, through his company Starlink, manipulated the 2024 election results in favor of Donald Trump. These assertions have been widely circulated on social media, alleging that Musk's technology was used to rig the vote count. However, election officials from multiple swing states have firmly rejected these claims. According to a report by the Associated Press, officials stated that their voting equipment is not connected to the internet, and therefore could not be manipulated via Starlink or any other online service (AP News).
David Becker, the founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, emphasized that "it is not possible that Starlink was used to hack or change the outcome of the US presidential election" due to the robust security measures in place (AP News). Furthermore, the majority of voting systems in the U.S. utilize paper ballots, which are subject to audits that verify the accuracy of electronic tabulators (AP News).
In addition, officials from North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania confirmed that their voting systems are designed to be "air-gapped," meaning they are isolated from internet access to prevent any potential tampering (AP News).
Analysis
The claims regarding Elon Musk's involvement in election fraud lack credible evidence and are contradicted by multiple authoritative sources. Election officials have consistently stated that their systems are not connected to the internet, which would make it impossible for any external entity, including Musk's Starlink, to manipulate vote counts (AP News).
The reliability of the sources refuting these claims is high, as they include official statements from state election offices and experts in election security. For instance, Patrick Gannon from the North Carolina State Board of Elections explicitly stated that "satellite-based internet devices were not used to tabulate or upload vote counts" (AP News). Similarly, Mike Hassinger from the Georgia Secretary of State's office labeled the claims as "absolutely conspiratorial nonsense" (AP News).
While Elon Musk has been vocal in his support for Trump and has used his platform to express concerns about election integrity, this does not equate to evidence of wrongdoing. His posts on social media, which have included calls to action for Trump supporters, do not substantiate the claims that he manipulated voting technology (NY Times).
Moreover, the spread of misinformation surrounding the election has been a recurring theme, with various outlets noting the rise of conspiracy theories related to election fraud (Newsweek, Wired).
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The assertion that Elon Musk stole the 2024 election by manipulating voting computers is unfounded. Multiple election officials have confirmed that their systems are not connected to the internet and are secured against tampering. The claims are based on conspiracy theories rather than factual evidence, and credible sources have consistently debunked them.
Sources
- FACT FOCUS: Election officials knock down Starlink vote rigging claims
- Elon Musk's Election Day X Posts
- What's Behind 'Rigged' 2024 Election Claims - Newsweek
- Fact check: Was Elon Musk's Starlink used to rig the US election?
- The Future of Jobs Report 2025 | World Economic Forum
- The Conspiracy Theory That Elon Musk Stole the Election Using Starlink
- The top global health stories from 2024 | World Economic Forum
- Yes, Trump said Musk knows vote-counting computers 'better than anybody'
