Remember when people widely admired Elon Musk? Not long ago, he wowed the world with his bold visions for the future, pushing tech boundaries, developing neural chips, and even exploring humanity’s expansion to the Moon. Back then, his ideas captivated people, and many saw him as a real-life Tony Stark, with the Tesla CEO inspiring big dreams everywhere. However, over time, Musk’s reputation took a sharp turn. Today, people consider him among the polarizing figures globally. Clearly, these changes didn’t happen overnight.

The shift, it seems, stems largely from Elon Musk’s increasingly provocative decisions and political involvement, which once positioned him as a poster boy for Donald Trump’s election campaigns. Still, his troubles began even before that. “Buying Twitter was a huge pain in the a– and made me a pincushion of attacks,” Elon Musk said on Joe Rogan podcast episode #2404. In 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter, aiming to revolutionize “free speech.“

However, it proved a double-edged sword, allowing controversial content to spread without strict moderation and consequently fueling backlash and criticism. Meanwhile, as Elon Musk became more politically active, public sentiment gradually shifted. In fact, some Tesla owners even sought to distance themselves from his actions, going as far as putting stickers on their cars that read, “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy,” signaling their discomfort with his political ideology. Joe Rogan even reminded Musk, “everybody loved you before that (Twitter).”

At the time, Musk enjoyed strong support from the left, as Tesla’s electric cars symbolized concern for the environment. Now, having recently distanced himself from POTUS Donald Trump, Elon Musk reflects on his past in conversation with Joe Rogan, likely aiming to regain support from his fans. His words have recently gone viral on social media, sparking a wave of reactions on Instagram.

Debates flare online as fans weigh in on Elon Musk’s hero image

In 2024, despite his previously strained relationship with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk re-engaged with the president, supporting key MAGA causes ahead of Trump’s second term. The partnership grabbed headlines worldwide, with outlets like The Independent even calling it a “bromance” between two of the world’s most powerful men. At the same time, Musk began losing followers. Yet some fans still defended him, reflecting on his human side. One commented on the JRE Instagram page, “Elon is literally a hero.”

However, not everyone sees Elon Musk as a hero. One fan remarked, “Anyone else remember when Elon seemed cool?” Critics, however, blamed Musk’s right-wing activism for incidents earlier in the year when people vandalized Tesla cars. Vandals attacked showrooms and damaged vehicles on the streets. The destruction spread internationally, hitting events and stores in Sweden, Italy, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand, and causing millions of dollars in property damage.

During this period, some Tesla owners used the “Elon Musk crazy” sticker to protect their cars from vandalism, which proved effective. Musk also faced controversies regarding alleged mistreatment of employees when he visited the X office. Despite this, some fans continued to see Tesla CEO’s human side. One wrote, “Elon is really controversial, but what I’m seeing from him is that he’s def a decent man who values principals over money or power.” Not all responses were supportive.

Some fans mocked Elon Musk; one commented on Joe Rogan’s choice of guest, “Keep bringing Musk,” as Elon Musk appeared on the JRE podcast multiple times. Another wrote, “How much you wanna bet Elon is incapable of working at McDonald’s.” Even last year, Joe Rogan received criticism for hosting Donald Trump on his podcast just before the election, despite his reluctance and feeling encouraged by his relationship with Dana White. On this, a fan commented, “Joe Rogan Was Cool Man.”

Now, what’s done is done. Can Elon Musk win back his lost followers on his own? After the fallout with Donald Trump and his social media rants, Musk recently reconciled with the president at Charlie Kirk’s funeral. Share your thoughts below.