Elon Musk is now claiming the Epstein files are a “distraction” that “doesn’t matter” after he was busted begging to come to one of Jeffrey Epstein’s parties.
The 54-year-old billionaire had long been a vocal advocate for releasing the Epstein files and arresting the late sexual predator’s clients.
But after emails in which Musk planned to visit Epstein’s Island for the “wildest party” were exposed in Friday’s Epstein files release, Musk has changed his tune.
“What matters is not release of some subset of the Epstein files, but rather the prosecution of those who committed heinous crimes with Epstein,“ he wrote in an X post Saturday morning.
“When there is at least one arrest, some justice will have been done. If not, this is all performative. Nothing but a distraction,” he added.
Friday’s Epstein files release contained email correspondence between Musk and Epstein, written in November 2012, in which Epstein asked Musk, “how many people will you be for the heli to island.”
Musk responded, “Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on =our island?” Musk was referring to his then-paramour Talulah Riley, whom he married twice and divorced twice in the 2010s.
A month later, Musk emailed Epstein on Christmas morning asking if Epstein could help him “let loose” in the “party scene.”
Another exchange from 2013 found Musk planning a visit to Epstein’s Little St. James. Epstein told the Tesla CEO that there was “always space” for him on the island.
The release pokes holes in Musk’s previous denial of a friendship with Epstein.
In 2019, Musk had denied ever visiting the island and tried to cast Epstein as a pest trying to get him to visit. He told Vanity Fair that Epstein “tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined.”
After Friday’s Epstein files release, users on X, Musk’s social media platform, were divided between Musk critics hounding him for his thirsty emails and Musk defenders trying to brush them aside as no big deal.
Ian Miles Cheong, a Malaysian influencer notable for promoting MAGA on social media, came to the billionaire’s defense by compiling a batch of posts in which Musk demanded the release of the Epstein files.
He wrote, “There has not been one person more vocal about calling for the release of the Epstein files than Elon Musk. If he had anything to hide, or committed any wrongdoing, he wouldn’t have wanted those files out there.”
Musk boosted the post and added, “Absolutely.”
Musk has used the Epstein files as a cudgel with which to threaten his political enemies, including Donald Trump.
After Musk and Trump had a falling out in the summer of 2025, Musk tweeted, “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
He also called the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files an “obvious” cover-up and moaned that “so many powerful people want that list suppressed.”
