Maye Musk, the outspoken mother of Elon Musk, has sparked backlash with a recent comment about a reporter’s ethnicity.
The 76-year-old mother called out New York Times reporter Ryan Mac for planning to publish a “hit piece” on her son, Elon.
Maye’s critique took an unexpected turn when she pointed out Ryan’s ethnic background in a now-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Highlights
- Maye Musk faced backlash for highlighting a reporter's ethnicity.
- She later deleted the tweet after calling Ryan Mac an "American Vietnamese."
- Criticism extended to personal attacks on the Musk family.
- “Well, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree," one social media user said.
Maye Musk, mother of Elon Musk, stirred controversy after making a social media post defending her son
Image credits: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images
Image credits: Maye Musk
“I've heard there is going to be an Elon hit piece by @RMac18 in the [New York Times] tomorrow. Sadly, Ryan is an American Vietnamese reporter,” she said in her tweet, posted on Tuesday, October 5.
“My book is a bestseller in Vietnam. I don’t think my readers will believe the article if it is hateful and/or dishonest. Let’s see…” she continued.
Ryan is a seasoned tech reporter for The New York Times, known for his in-depth coverage of the tech industry, which includes his reporting on Elon Musk’s ventures and controversies.
In a now-deleted post, the mother labeled New York Times reporter Ryan Mac as an “American Vietnamese reporter,” which some found odd and unnecessary
Image credits: Maye Musk
Image credits: Maye Musk
He has earned recognition for his work, including a prestigious Polk Award for his reporting.
Maye’s labeling of Ryan as an “American Vietnamese reporter”—which many saw as irrelevant and inappropriate—was swiftly removed, but not before NBC reporter Tyler Kingkade saw it.
Tyler wrote a message defending Ryan, saying: “Elon Musk's mom just deleted this tweet that sad of a NYT reporter that he ‘Sadly...is an American Vietnamese reporter.’”
"I've heard there is going to be an Elon hit piece ... Sadly, Ryan is an American Vietnamese reporter," Maye wrote in her post
Image credits: Maye Musk
Tyler re-posted her tweet and added, “For the record, Ryan Mac was born and raised in California. Not that it matters.”
The NBC reporter emphasized Ryan’s credentials and his award-winning journalism.
“Calling out a reporter for their ethnic heritage is never appropriate... He also won a Polk Award. No one should ever bet on his stories being inaccurate,” the fellow reporter continued.
The 76-year-old woman shares two sons, Elon and Kimbal, and a daughter, Tosca, with her ex-husband Errol Musk
Image credits: Maye Musk
The backlash to Maye’s comments was swift, with one saying: “She’s a racist idiot. Period.”
“Sadly, Elon’s mom is a racist POS,” read a second comment, while a third said, “Always promoting racism. Sad and twisted take.”
The criticism extended to personal attacks on the entire Musk family as well.
Maye is the author of the book A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success, published in 2019
Image credits: Maye Musk
“Like mother, like son” and “Well, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree” were also remarks that appeared in the comments section.
“Maye Musk is just as awful as her rotten son,” one said.
Another wrote, “Deport the whole family.”
“Sadly, Elon’s mom is a racist POS,” one social media user said about the recent remarks made by the tech billionaire’s mother
“The racism runs deep in that family,” said another.
Maye shares two sons, Elon and Kimbal, and a daughter, Tosca, with her ex-husband Errol Musk. All three children were born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa.