Elon Musk called out for hypocrisy as he claims he’s ‘simply American’ amid Canadian citizenship petition

AUSTIN, TEXAS: Elon Musk is facing backlash for calling himself "simply American" as his statement about identity has triggered accusations of hypocrisy.

The controversial comment, made on his social media platform X, has reignited debates over his nationality and ties to multiple countries, especially as a petition to revoke his Canadian citizenship continues to gain momentum.

Elon Musk says he's 'simply American' amid petition to revoke his Canadian citizenship

Elon Musk took to X on March 4, Tuesday, to assert, "Should note that I grew up as English South African, not Afrikaans, and consider myself to be simply an American. No hyphen."

In addition to this, Musk expressed his concerns about the current situation in South Africa, commenting that the issues facing the country were “deeply wrong” and not in line with what Nelson Mandela would have wanted.

His tweet further read, "That said, what’s happening in South Africa is deeply wrong. Not what Mandela intended at all."

Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, to Maye Musk, a Canadian-born model and dietitian, and Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer, which gave him citizenship of both the nations, Irish Star reported.

At 18, Musk moved to Canada before later relocating to the United States. He became a US citizen in 2002, ten years after arriving in the country on a student visa to attend the University of Pennsylvania.

Therefore, Musk’s claim of being "simply American" has raised eyebrows, especially as some users on X humorously suggested that Musk should be considered "African American" due to his South African birth.

Musk's clarification regarding his nationality comes days after a petition to revoke his Canadian citizenship garnered over 360,000 signatures. This petition has been fueled by his involvement in politics and actions that critics believe could harm the national interest of Canada.

The petition accuses Musk of having “engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada” and using his “wealth and power to influence our elections".

It also claimed Musk "has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty", per BBC.

Elon Musk's 'simply American' claim sparks backlash online

Elon Musk's statement about identifying as "simply American" has been met with harsh criticism on social media. Critics quickly pointed out what they see as a glaring contradiction in his claim, given his multiple citizenships.

One user responded to Musk’s post saying, "So you identify as someone else than you were born as? Interesting."

Another added, "You're a former illegal immigrant who should be deported."

The third commentator questioned, "Why do you have multiple citizenships, if you consider yourself to be an American?"

"Ironic that you worked here illegally initially yet you consider yourself American; but you’re passionate about deporting other people who work here illegally and consider themselves American too. What’s with the double standard, Elon?" asked a critic.

A person claimed, "African American..that's what he is now!"

Another chimed in asking, "If you consider yourself American why do you have citizenship in four countries?"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.