BREAKING NEWS: World Billionaire Elon Musk Attacks Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – “Thank God I’m Not Australian” – Accuses Him of Buying Votes and Making “Stupid Decisions” on Gun Confiscation, Warning Australia Faces Destruction Under His Leadership

Sydney, February 23, 2026 – In a blistering social media assault that has sent shockwaves across Australia and beyond, Tesla CEO and world’s richest man Elon Musk launched a ferocious attack on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese late last night. Posting from his verified X account (formerly Twitter), Musk unleashed a tirade that questioned Albanese’s legitimacy, mocked his intelligence, and warned of national collapse if current policies continue.

The explosive thread began with Musk quoting a recent Albanese statement on gun control reforms following a string of violent incidents, including the 2025 Bondi terrorist attack. Musk wrote:

“Thank God I’m not Australian. Is this guy really elected by the people as prime minister or did he just buy votes with money? He always makes STUPID decisions. If he confiscates all guns from licensed people, then when attacked by terrorist elements what will they use to defend themselves? This country will soon be destroyed when he is in power.”

Musk didn’t stop there. In a follow-up post that quickly went viral with over 12 million views in under an hour, he added:

“I am just a politician who is also the world’s number 1 billionaire but I cannot understand the mindset of a country’s leader like him. Disarming law-abiding citizens while threats grow? That’s not leadership. That’s suicide.”

The remarks ignited immediate fury in Canberra. Prime Minister Albanese, speaking to reporters outside Parliament House this morning, fired back without hesitation:

“Elon Musk is just a billionaire with nothing but money, not even a head to think with. He has no understanding of Australian values, our democratic process, or the lived experience of our people. His comments are reckless, uninformed, and frankly beneath contempt.”

Albanese’s retort was measured but sharp, emphasizing Australia’s strict gun laws – among the world’s toughest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre – as a source of national pride and safety. He reiterated that recent proposals focus on tightening loopholes for semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, not blanket confiscation from licensed owners.

But Musk was far from finished. Just five minutes after Albanese’s press conference ended, the billionaire dropped a single, earth-shattering reply that has left the world stunned:

“Prime Minister, if you think disarming your citizens makes them safer, look at the crime stats in your own cities. Melbourne and Sydney are becoming war zones. You talk about ‘safety,’ but the only thing you’re protecting is your ego and your donors. Australians deserve better. They deserve leaders who respect their right to self-defense. Wake up before it’s too late – or watch your country burn while you tweet platitudes.”

The post, accompanied by a meme showing Albanese’s face superimposed on a sinking ship labeled “Australia,” has already amassed more than 18 million views, 1.2 million likes, and hundreds of thousands of reposts. It has sparked an unprecedented online firestorm, with Australians divided between outrage at foreign interference and agreement with Musk’s blunt critique.

Political analysts in Canberra describe the exchange as “one of the most direct and personal attacks on a sitting Australian prime minister by a global figure of Musk’s stature.” Dr. Emily Chen, a political scientist at the Australian National University, told reporters: “This isn’t just trolling. Musk is tapping into deep-seated frustrations over crime, cost-of-living pressures, and perceived government overreach. Whether his facts hold up or not, the emotional resonance is real – and dangerous for Labor ahead of the next election.”

Musk’s intervention comes at a particularly sensitive time. The Albanese government is facing mounting criticism over its handling of violent crime, youth gangs, and knife attacks in major cities. Polling released yesterday by Newspoll showed Labor trailing the Coalition by six points nationally, with One Nation and independents gaining ground on issues of law and order. Musk’s comments – especially his reference to “war zones” in Melbourne and Sydney – echo talking points frequently used by opposition leader Peter Dutton and Senator Pauline Hanson.

Gun rights advocates, including the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (SSAA), have seized on Musk’s words to renew calls for a moratorium on further restrictions. SSAA president Greg Park said in a statement: “Mr. Musk has highlighted what many licensed firearm owners have been saying for years: you don’t make people safer by taking away their ability to defend themselves. Criminals don’t hand in their illegal guns – law-abiding citizens do.”

On the other side, gun control groups such as Gun Control Australia condemned Musk’s intervention as “irresponsible and ignorant.” Spokesperson Rebecca Peters said: “Australia’s gun laws have saved thousands of lives since 1996. Suggesting we should follow the American model – where mass shootings are a daily occurrence – is not only factually wrong but dangerous.”

Social media reactions have been polarized. Supporters of Musk flooded X with memes, patriotic graphics, and hashtags like #ThankGodForElon, #AussiesDeserveBetter, and #AlbaneseOut. Critics accused him of colonial arrogance, with trending phrases such as #StayInYourLaneElon and #ForeignInterference. One viral post read: “Elon Musk telling Australia how to run its democracy is like a billionaire telling a family how to raise their kids while never having changed a diaper.”

The Prime Minister’s office has so far declined to issue a further formal response beyond Albanese’s initial statement, though senior Labor sources say the government is considering whether to raise the matter with X’s Australian office under misinformation and foreign interference guidelines. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, however, used the moment to his advantage, tweeting: “When even the world’s richest man is calling out Albanese’s failures, you know the country is in trouble.”

As the dust settles on this extraordinary trans-Pacific spat, one question dominates Australian headlines: has Elon Musk just handed the opposition a powerful new talking point – or has he overstepped so badly that he’s rallied the nation behind its embattled Prime Minister? With federal elections looming in 2027, and public trust in institutions at historic lows, this clash may prove far more consequential than a late-night tweet storm.

For now, the world watches as two powerful figures – one elected by millions, the other richer than entire nations – trade blows across continents. And Australia, caught in the crossfire, waits to see who blinks first.