Musk slams Biden for awarding Soros Presidential Medal of Freedom

New York: Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined the wave of online criticism directed at billionaire George Soros following US President Joe Biden’s decision to award Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.

Musk, a close associate of President-elect Donald Trump, shared a meme that quickly gained traction across social media, comparing Soros to a character from the Star Wars universe. The meme depicted Soros as Sheev Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord who appears in the Star Wars saga as a seemingly benevolent leader while secretly plotting to dominate the galaxy. The caption on Musk’s meme read, “George Soros looking quite good here. Must be the lighting,” implying that Soros might be hiding his true motives while presenting himself as a philanthropist.

The post, which added a layer of humor, sparked widespread attention and trolling.

The controversy began after President Biden named Soros as one of the 19 recipients of the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday. The White House praised Soros for his contributions to global democracy, human rights, education, and social justice through his Open Society Foundations. Other prominent recipients included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, football legend Lionel Messi, and actors Michael J. Fox and Denzel Washington.

Musk’s comments add to a series of controversies surrounding Soros. The billionaire investor and philanthropist has long been a target of criticism, particularly from conservative figures. Musk’s post drew significant attention as part of a broader backlash against the award.

Beyond the US, Soros has been at the center of a political storm in India. During the Winter Session of Parliament in December, BJP President J.P. Nadda accused the Congress party of having ties to Soros and his organizations, alleging that these groups were being used by foreign forces to destabilize India. Nadda specifically pointed to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s alleged connections to Soros-funded initiatives.

In response, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge dismissed these accusations as baseless, accusing the BJP of using such claims to deflect attention from the country's pressing socio-economic issues. The political spat led to multiple adjournments in both houses of Parliament.

This controversy has sparked heated debates in both the US and India, with Soros becoming a polarizing figure in global politics.

With IANS inputs