“Help Eliminate Elon” poster draws criticism from U.S. Senator

U.S. Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina has criticized printed ads calling for the “elimination” of Elon Musk. The ads appeared in Washington, D.C.

The ad campaign

Photos of the ads show a graphic image of Musk raising his right hand with a red “X” over him. The poster says, “Help Eliminate Elon,” and includes the logo of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the lower left corner.

This disgusting threat was made against @elonmusk for helping President Trump eliminate government waste and protect taxpayer dollars. We need to find out who paid for this and who allowed it to be posted.

cc: @MayorBowser pic.twitter.com/ub2Vbpznjf

— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) February 12, 2025

Some critics of Musk supported the ad, but many on social media warned it could be dangerous. Musk responded lightly, posting on X, “Not everyone is a fan, I guess,” along with a laughing emoji.

The Senator’s comments

Senator Thom Tillis criticized the poster on X. He called it a “disgusting threat” against Musk for helping President Trump reduce government waste and protect taxpayer money. Tillis demanded to know who paid for and approved the ad.

In a video, Tillis also expressed support for Musk’s DOGE, which is auditing the federal government. Later, he confirmed the poster had been removed.

Apparent source

The source of the poster is unclear, but guerrilla artist Winston Tseng posted an image of it on his Instagram.

Tseng’s past work leans left, including ads featuring Kamala Harris as the “official candidate of the Philadelphia Eagles” and posters saying “Keep DC Trash Free” with a prohibition sign over a MAGA hat.

The anti-Musk poster is the most aggressive in Tseng’s portfolio, as it directly calls to “eliminate” Musk and features an “X” over his image. No other ads on his account have used this approach.