Musk, Greene amplify Trump rally bomb threats that police call false
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Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on Sept. 13. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Elon Musk and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Wednesday both took to X to share a rumor that police later called false about an explosive device was discovered near the Long Island site where former President Trump is set to hold a rally Wednesday night.
Why it matters: The rumor surfaced just days after Trump was targeted in an apparent second assassination attempt and further underscored the security concerns that have permeated the 2024 presidential race.
- However, police determined the rumor of a bomb threat was not true.
State of play: The rumor circulated among conservative outlets on Wednesday morning.
- Reporter James Lalino wrote on X that an explosive device had been found in a vehicle along the perimeter area where the Trump rally is slated to take place. The "driver ended up running into the woods," he added.
- Outlets like the Daily Mail and X account Amuse also picked up the story.
Zoom in: "Wow," Musk wrote on X while reposting a story about the bomb threat.
- "THEY WILL NOT STOP UNTIL THEY KILL TRUMP!" Greene posted on X alongside a screenshot of the Daily Mail's bomb threat story.
The big picture: Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder confirmed in a statement Wednesday that "reports of explosives being found at the site are unfounded."
- An individual who might have been training a bomb detection dog at the site "falsely reported explosives being found," Ryder added. Police detained that person for questioning.
- Greene subsequently posted on X that the rumor appeared to be a "false report" but warned that given the apparent attempts on Trump's life, "everything must be taken seriously."
- Representatives for X and Greene did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.
Go deeper: "We live in danger times": Secret Service after Trump apparent assassination attempt
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say that Elon Musk and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene both took to X to share (not decry) a rumor that an explosive device was discovered near the Long Island site where former President Trump is set to hold a rally Wednesday. It was updated with an additional post from Marjorie Taylor Greene.
