If you’ve been actively using X, you might have noticed glitches—search issues, video playback problems, and even outright search denials. At first, it might seem like routine downtime. But no—this isn’t just a technical issue.
What’s unfolding is a major cyberattack, one the world is only beginning to uncover. Elon Musk has confirmed the attack, but the bigger shock is the possibility of a European connection. This isn’t just about disrupting a social media platform—it appears to be part of a broader scheme to undermine both Musk and the 47th President, Donald Trump.
Musk revealed that X was hit by a “massive cyberattack,” with over 60,000 users reporting outages throughout Monday, according to Downdetector. While X deals with cyber threats regularly, Musk noted that “this was done with a lot of resources,” suggesting “either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved.”
Attack in Two Major Waves
The attack came in two major waves, with some users receiving error messages from Cloudflare, a web security provider, stating, “Web server is returning an unknown error.” While X has faced disruptions before—most notably last August—this one appears to have geopolitical implications.
This cyberattack comes at a time of growing tensions between Musk and major political players. Just hours before the attack, Musk accused ActBlue—a Democratic fundraising platform backed by billionaire George Soros—of financing protests against Tesla. According to Musk, an investigation found that five ActBlue-funded groups were behind recent anti-Tesla demonstrations: Troublemakers, Disruption Project, Rise & Resist, Indivisible Project, and the Democratic Socialists of America.
These protests have escalated into outright vandalism, with Tesla dealerships across the U.S. targeted. In Seattle, several Cybertrucks were set on fire overnight. In Colorado, arsonists spray-painted “Nazi cars” on Tesla vehicles before hurling Molotov cocktails. Police later arrested a suspect, who was released on bond the next day, frustrating law enforcement.
Ukraine and EU behind the heinous act
In an interview with Fox News, Musk stated that the attack seemed to originate from the “Ukraine area,” though investigations are ongoing. When an X user suggested that “they want to silence you and this platform,” Musk agreed.
But, why would Ukraine have an interest in targeting Musk? Just days ago, Musk backed Trump’s push to pressure Ukraine into peace talks. He also called for U.S. sanctions on Ukrainian oligarchs, warning that their wealth could be used to prolong the war. As Musk’s influence within Trump’s circle grows, Ukraine—fully aware that Trump won’t be easily controlled—may now be targeting those closest to him.
Meanwhile, the European Union seems to be tightening the screws on Musk as well. Just before the cyberattacks, the EU demanded that X hand over internal documents on its algorithms as part of an ongoing probe under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The EU’s digital watchdogs have been under increasing pressure to crack down on Musk’s “interference” in European politics, particularly in Germany.
Now, EU regulators are demanding access to X’s internal documents, commercial APIs, and any recent changes to its recommender algorithms. They want Musk to submit all relevant paperwork by February 15 and preserve any internal communications until the end of the year—unless their probe concludes earlier.
All of this points to one conclusion: NATO (minus the U.S.) sees Musk as a direct threat to the war machine. Whether through his political influence, his stance on peace in Ukraine, or his role in Trump’s administration, Musk has become an obstacle to those invested in maintaining the status quo.
This cyberattack, combined with political pressure from both Ukraine and the EU, suggests a larger effort to neutralize Musk before his influence grows even stronger. But if history has proven anything, it’s that Musk doesn’t back down easily.