New York, NY – Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), suffered a series of widespread outages on Monday, with the billionaire attributing the disruption to a large-scale cyberattack. The outages, which affected tens of thousands of users globally, sparked speculation about the platform’s security vulnerabilities.
According to DownDetector, a website that tracks online service disruptions, reports of issues began surfacing around 6 a.m. ET, with over 20,500 users experiencing problems accessing the app. The situation briefly stabilized before another surge occurred at 10 a.m., when nearly 40,000 users reported difficulties. By 12:30 p.m. ET, the site recorded an additional 26,000 outage reports, indicating that the problem persisted well into the afternoon.
Users reported that the app failed to load, with the issue seemingly impacting individuals worldwide. Although DownDetector provides useful insight into online service interruptions, it relies on self-reported data, meaning the full scope of the outage remains unclear.
Musk, in a post on X, suggested that the disruption could be the work of “a large, coordinated group and/or a country,” though he did not provide evidence or specify potential culprits. The nature and motive behind the alleged cyberattack remain unknown at this time.
Challenges in Musk’s Leadership of X
Since acquiring Twitter in 2022 and rebranding it as X, Musk has enacted sweeping changes to the platform, many of which have drawn controversy. He immediately dismissed top executives upon taking control and, within days, cut approximately 3,500 employees—nearly half of the workforce at the time. Over the following months, he reduced staffing levels by 80% and mandated a return to full-time office work for those who remained.
These drastic measures were part of Musk’s broader effort to restructure X and make it more financially sustainable. However, critics have argued that the deep staff cuts weakened the platform’s ability to handle technical challenges, such as security threats and outages.
This latest disruption raises further questions about X’s infrastructure and its ability to fend off cyber threats. The company’s security posture has been under scrutiny since Musk took over, with many industry experts warning that reduced staff levels could leave the platform vulnerable to attacks.
A Difficult Day for Musk-Owned Businesses
Monday’s issues with X came amid a rough day for Musk’s business empire. Shares of Tesla, another company he leads, plummeted as much as 12% in midday trading, erasing all gains the stock had accumulated since Donald Trump’s victory in the November 2024 election. The reason for the stock’s decline was not immediately clear, but market analysts pointed to growing concerns about Tesla’s ability to maintain growth in an increasingly competitive electric vehicle market.
Adding to Musk’s challenges, his recent appointment as the head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has drawn significant political and media attention. While Musk has yet to make major policy announcements in this role, his leadership of a federal agency while simultaneously managing multiple high-profile businesses has sparked debate about potential conflicts of interest.
Uncertain Future for X
The outages on X serve as a reminder of the ongoing volatility surrounding the platform. Since Musk’s takeover, the social media giant has faced numerous controversies, including policy changes, advertiser pullbacks, and technical issues. The suspected cyberattack, if confirmed, would mark one of the most significant security threats faced by the platform under his leadership.
At the time of writing, X had not issued an official statement regarding the outages, and it remains unclear how long the disruptions will last. This is a developing story, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
