• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
PoliticsElon Musk

Elon Musk says he’s prepared to go to prison if U.S. government tries to censor X

Christiaan Hetzner
By
Christiaan Hetzner
Christiaan Hetzner
Senior Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Christiaan Hetzner
By
Christiaan Hetzner
Christiaan Hetzner
Senior Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 11, 2023, 8:09 AM ET
Photo of X owner Elon Musk
X owner Elon Musk is at risk of physical harm, warns InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.Slaven Vlasic—Getty Images for The New York Times

Elon Musk claims he would happily serve time behind bars if one of the arms of the U.S. government such as the FBI were to attempt to censor content on X, even though he called himself a law-abiding citizen whose corporate empire regularly follows countless rules and regulations.

Recommended Video

“If I think a government agency is breaking the law in their demands on the platform, I would be prepared to go to prison personally,” he said on Sunday during a Spaces discussion with Alex Jones, the Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist whose X account Musk reinstated.

BREAKING: Elon Musk says he is prepared to go to prison if the FBI comes to him in 2024 and tells him to illegally censor information similarly to what they did with the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020.

This is why Elon Musk is the perfect person to own X 🔥

The comment came… pic.twitter.com/7DUHHw3tfR

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 10, 2023

This weekend, Musk reversed his previous opposition to welcoming Jones back to the platform and put the issue to a poll. Previously the Tesla and SpaceX CEO refused to grant clemency on the basis that the InfoWars host instrumentalized the death of children to gain viewership. 

Jones had been found guilty of promoting the shooting as a false flag operation staged by the government as justification to take Americans’ guns away, and was ordered to pay $1.4 billion in damages. (During the Spaces conversation he stated on the record he now believed the shooting had in fact happened.)

But Musk needs all the traffic and engagement he can get now that major advertisers including Disney and Walmart have “boycotted”—to use his words—the platform, after concerns their ads appear next to neo-Nazi posts. With their spending pulled, the centibillionaire is now worried X faces bankruptcy.

Tristan Tate, the brother of alleged rapist and human trafficker Andrew Tate, said he was more ecstatic about Jones being given a platform than when he learned he was free to move about Romania.

“Today is the happiest day in my life this year and that includes my release from prison. Alex Jones is the canary in the coal mine, he was the guy they canceled first,” the Tate brother said, calling him “a real voice for truth, a voice for reason.”

Jones fears government will poison Musk

Once back on X, Jones returned the favor by quickly predicting intelligence agencies are hatching assassination plots to take out former President Donald Trump just like they did with John F. Kennedy.

“They already have the plans, the blueprints ready. I guarantee you they’re trying to poison him right now,” he said on Spaces, which was attended by Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and self-described “proud Islamaphobe” Laura Loomer.

Musk was likely next on the list, the InfoWars host warned, since the tycoon had the government bureaucracy scared. Jones urged Musk to watch out for radioactive isotopes being slipped into his food. 

“If they gun down Elon Musk, that only makes him bigger,” Jones said. “They don’t want to turn us into martyrs, they either poison you or they come to a murder-suicide—kill your wife, kill you—that’s a known deep state tactic.” 

Musk, who has gone on the record saying America is running out of conspiracy theories that didn’t turn out later to be true, said he was aware of the risks he is taking by crossing the collective powers that be. 

“Some people are afraid to die, but I am not,” he told Jones.

We are running out of “conspiracies” that turned out to be true!

Can someone manufacture a few more? The shelf is almost empty.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 9, 2023
The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Christiaan Hetzner
By Christiaan HetznerSenior Reporter
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Christiaan Hetzner is a former writer for Fortune, where he covered Europe’s changing business landscape.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

crew aboard artemis II
Innovationspace
‘It’s 13 minutes of things that have to go right’: Artemis II splashes down despite faulty heat shield
By Catherina GioinoApril 10, 2026
7 hours ago
The Navy confirmed an ‘abundant amount’ of Uncrustables when the Artemis II crew lands. Smucker’s just offered them a lifetime supply
PoliticsFood and drink
The Navy confirmed an ‘abundant amount’ of Uncrustables when the Artemis II crew lands. Smucker’s just offered them a lifetime supply
By Catherina GioinoApril 10, 2026
9 hours ago
Iran is demanding tankers in the Strait of Hormuz pay tolls in crypto: What we know so far
CryptoIran
Iran is demanding tankers in the Strait of Hormuz pay tolls in crypto: What we know so far
By Ben WeissApril 10, 2026
12 hours ago
Kash Patel sits with his two fingers on lips
CybersecurityIran
First they went after medtech, then Kash Patel. Iranian hackers’ next target is likely ‘low-hanging fruit’ in water, energy, and tourism, experts say
By Jacqueline MunisApril 10, 2026
12 hours ago
kamala
PoliticsElections
Kamala Harris says she’s ‘thinking about’ running for president again: ‘I’ll keep you posted’
By Steve Peoples, Matt Brown and The Associated PressApril 10, 2026
14 hours ago
A young man looks at his phone, and a flurry of red arrows point downwards.
Cryptosports betting
Prediction markets have made betting easier than ever—and young men are paying the price
By Carlos GarciaApril 10, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
Investing
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies
Innovation
Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
23 hours ago
Scottie Scheffler joined Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in golf's $100M club—and donated his entire Ryder Cup stipend to charity
Success
Scottie Scheffler joined Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in golf's $100M club—and donated his entire Ryder Cup stipend to charity
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
15 hours ago
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
Economy
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
AI
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
The Navy confirmed an ‘abundant amount’ of Uncrustables when the Artemis II crew lands. Smucker’s just offered them a lifetime supply
Politics
The Navy confirmed an ‘abundant amount’ of Uncrustables when the Artemis II crew lands. Smucker’s just offered them a lifetime supply
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
9 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.