Several well-known celebrities decided to leave Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, following his appointment to President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet. Jamie Lee Curtis and Don Lemon were among the first to announce their exits on Wednesday, just hours after the announcement was made.
Jamie Lee Curtis, the 65-year-old actress known for her roles in films like Freaky Friday, shared a screenshot of her deactivated X account on Instagram. She posted a message that read, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.”
While Curtis did not directly explain her reasons for leaving, her long-standing criticism of Trump and her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election suggest that Musk’s new role may have played a part in her decision.
Don Lemon, former CNN anchor, gave a more detailed explanation for his departure from X, formerly known as Twitter. Lemon expressed that the platform had become a space for toxic political propaganda.
“I’ve loved connecting with all of you on X, but it’s time for me to leave the platform,” Lemon wrote. “I once believed it was a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech, but I now feel it does not serve that purpose.”
Lemon also took issue with X’s new terms of service, which take effect on Friday. According to the updated terms, all disputes related to the platform will now be exclusively handled in courts located in Texas.
Lemon pointed out that this change could favor conservatives and shield the platform from litigation, particularly in cases where critics may be involved. He wrapped up his post by linking to his other social media profiles.
These two celebrities are not alone in leaving X. Since Musk’s acquisition of the platform in 2022, dozens of stars have deactivated their accounts, including Elton John, Gigi Hadid, Whoopi Goldberg, and Garcelle Beauvais, who also left for rival platform Threads earlier this week.
The exodus of celebrities from X has been accompanied by a similar trend among companies. Just after Musk’s Cabinet appointment, the UK’s Guardian newspaper announced it would no longer post on X, citing concerns about the disturbing content that has proliferated on the platform.
In a statement, the Guardian explained that the platform has become a “toxic media space” where far-right conspiracy theories and racism are frequently promoted. The outlet stated that the benefits of using X were now “outweighed by the negatives,” especially as the US presidential election highlighted the platform’s role in shaping political discourse in ways that align with Musk’s influence.
Musk’s appointment to lead Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” alongside biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, has drawn attention, particularly due to the department’s mission to dismantle government bureaucracy, reduce regulations, and eliminate wasteful spending.
This announcement appears to have prompted a wave of departures from X as celebrities and media outlets distance themselves from the platform in response to Musk’s expanding political influence.
