Errol Musk, father of Elon Musk, ignited fresh controversy during a CNN interview by claiming the United States would be “doomed” if white Americans became a minority — remarks delivered in a segment examining the rise of “white genocide” narratives in US politics.
During his conversation with CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan for the upcoming special MisinfoNation: White Genocide, Musk reacted sharply when told that white Americans are projected to become a minority within the next two decades. He called the demographic shift “a very, very bad thing,” insisting it would drag the country “down.” He added, “You don’t like technology? You want to go back to the jungle?”
O’Sullivan’s special investigates how conspiracy theories about the “genocide” of white South Africans have gained traction among some Americans worried about demographic change. The idea has influenced US political rhetoric, with President Donald Trump having previously cited it when proposing refugee status for white South Africans.
Pressed on whether he truly believed America would collapse if whites fell below 50 percent of the population, Musk affirmed he did — citing South Africa as an example of a “small white population that projects European culture.”
The interview grew more contentious when O’Sullivan pointed out the well-documented oppression of Black South Africans under Apartheid. Musk rejected this entirely, saying, “No! How do you oppress? We gave them work, we fed them… That’s not oppression, that’s feeding them,” arguing that Black South Africans had grown in number because they were “fed enough.”
When challenged that he may not have witnessed oppression because he was white, Musk replied, “We never saw this oppression you’re talking about.”
Musk’s comments feature in O’Sullivan’s broader exploration of white supremacist narratives that have seeped into US public discourse and been echoed by some conservative figures, including Trump and, at times, Elon Musk. The full CNN special airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
