Elon Musk says he’s effectively stopped appearing in public, citing heightened security concerns in the months following the September assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The billionaire discussed the shift on The Katie Miller Podcast, released Dec. 9, where he opened up about the daily restrictions he now faces.
“I can’t go to things where there’s the general public because… there’s an immediate ‘Can I have a selfie?’ line that forms,” he said. “And these days — particularly in light of Charlie Kirk’s murder — there are serious security issues. It’s not that I don’t want to. I simply can’t.”
Musk added that routine errands like shopping or stopping at a drugstore are no longer possible for him. “Life is on hardcore mode,” he said. “Make one mistake and you’re dead.”
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. Authorities say the shooter, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson, fired from a rooftop roughly 142 yards away in what officials described as a targeted attack. Robinson surrendered the next day and was charged with aggravated murder; prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.
The killing sparked national outrage, intense political debate and a wave of conspiracy theories online. Musk publicly mourned Kirk at the time, writing, “Still can’t believe this happened. Your memory lives strong.”
According to Musk, the assassination fundamentally changed his own public risk level. He said he previously felt capable of managing crowds and fan interactions, but Kirk’s death “reinforced the severity of the situation.”
In the weeks after the shooting, Musk became more vocal politically, including making controversial comments at a London rally in September. His podcast remarks now add to a broader conversation among conservative figures who say they’ve tightened personal security amid rising political tensions.
The clip from the interview has been circulating on social media, drawing both support and criticism. Some users sympathized with Musk’s concerns, while others dismissed the comments as overly dramatic.
Musk didn’t say how long he expects his heightened security posture to last, but made clear that his day-to-day reality has changed.
“It only takes one mistake,” he said. “You have to be on guard at all times.”
For Musk, Kirk’s assassination wasn’t just a political flashpoint — it’s now a defining factor in how he moves through the world.
