In a recent turn of events, Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of SpaceX, has been accused of promoting a long-debunked conspiracy theory known as “Pizzagate”. This theory alleges that high-profile Democrats ran a pedophile abuse ring from a pizza restaurant in Washington, D.C. Musk posted and later deleted a meme referencing “Pizzagate” on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, sparking controversy and drawing attention to the unfounded conspiracy theory.

The meme in question was an image from the popular TV show The Office, with fake dialogue superimposed on the scene to make it appear as if the characters were arguing about whether the conspiracy was real. Musk wrote, "Does seem at least a little suspicious," before deleting the post. NBC News, Sky's US partner network, was able to see the post before it was taken down.

This conspiracy theory, which gained traction during the 2016 US election to smear Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton, led to a disturbing incident when a man entered the pizza restaurant with an assault rifle. However, no evidence has ever been uncovered to support the claims of a child trafficking ring being run from the pizzeria or the involvement of Democrat politicians.

Musk's promotion of the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory is not the first time he has been accused of endorsing unfounded and controversial theories. Last year, shortly after acquiring X, he posted a link to an article featuring an unfounded rumor about an attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband. More recently, he has faced criticism for endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory, leading to major advertisers pulling their promotions from X and drawing condemnation from Israeli politicians.

Musk has since visited Israel, where he was shown the scene of Hamas's attack on October 7. He has also taken legal action against a media watchdog group that alleged advertisements from prominent companies such as Disney and Warner Bros were appearing alongside neo-Nazi and white nationalist content on X.

The controversy surrounding Musk's engagement with conspiracy theories highlights his regular criticism of the media and his reputation as a purveyor of controversial ideas, including the theory that aliens built the pyramids. His use of the X platform to promote and engage with these theories has drawn both backlash and concern from various quarters.

In response to the recent accusations, Musk has replied to X posts about “Pizzagate” at least four times since November 20, featuring insinuations that journalists were involved. However, these claims remain unfounded, and it is important to note that no reputable evidence supports the existence of a child trafficking ring or the involvement of politicians and journalists in covering it up.

Sky News has reached out to X for comment on the recent controversy surrounding Musk's promotion of conspiracy theories and the subsequent advertiser exodus from the platform. The allegations against Musk and his engagement with such theories continue to raise questions about the responsibility and consequences of influential individuals promoting unfounded and potentially harmful ideas.