MW Trump and Elon Musk's social-media mudslinging offers a lesson for all of us

By Quentin Fottrell

Don't air your dirty laundry on social media - it could cost you dearly

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the smartest of them all?

Review your past social-media posts and find out. Oftentimes, it's not pretty. It would be a shame if your dream job went to someone less qualified, less talented and with less commitment because of a tweet or a Facebook $(META)$ post you made five years ago.

After all, if you're going to talk smack about an ex-partner or make a derogatory comment about a politician, an A-list actor who recently committed a public faux pas or even a member of the Royal Family, what might you say about your employer?

The recent spat between President Donald Trump and former friend (and adviser and, of great note, campaign donor) Elon Musk last week is a reminder of how easy it is to press "send" on a tweet or text or email, only to bitterly regret it later. It was an entertaining tit-for-tat for some; it was an ugly display for others.

It would be a shame if your dream job went to someone less qualified because of a Facebook post from 5 years ago.

Tesla $(TSLA)$ CEO Musk unleashed public criticisms of the tax and spending bill that the current administration is eager to push rapidly through Congress. Musk, who also leads SpaceX and owns the social-media platform X, later alleged that Trump is keeping information on the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein under wraps because his name appears in Epstein's files.

The latter post, plus another where Musk replied "yes" to a question posed on the platform formerly known as Twitter about whether Trump should be replaced in the Oval Office by his vice president, J.D. Vance, have since been deleted. The screenshots live on.

On Saturday, Trump told NBC that he has no desire to repair his relationship with Musk, but he warned that Musk would face "very serious consequences" if Musk decided to fund Democratic candidates against Republicans who vote for the GOP's spending bill - legislation that Musk characterized as an abomination.

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From sarcasm to selfies

With an increasingly polarized political climate in the U.S. affecting perspectives on everything from immigration to what books can be read in school, and the elevated geopolitical tensions following the terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel and Israel's subsequent bombing of Gaza (and the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, which, to some, had become a partisan litmus test within mere months), be careful what you tweet and write.

There's good reason that a hiring manager might give the job to someone else over a post by an applicant for the position. Getting into verbal fisticuffs or making some lewd comment on social media speaks to a critical skill that all employers are looking for: judgment.

It can take years to build up trust and respect with clients, colleagues and management, and it can take a single tweet to destroy your professional reputation. Take any dignified public figure: the late Queen Elizabeth II, say. Do what she would do: nothing.

And even if you never get into heated discussions online or make imprudent comments on other people's photos or posts, if you work for yourself, what message does it send to clients if your Instagram page is, instead of being carefully curated, overrun with selfies?

No self-respecting employer wants to see a photo-after-photo montage of you enjoying another glass of wine or lying on the sofa home alone or, worse, a preening bathroom-mirror selfie. They may regard them as an indication that you don't have much going on in your life or, worse, as narcissistic behavior.

Online political activity can backfire

Here's a scary poll: 75% of hiring managers say they look at social media before hiring a candidate, and they're not just looking for loutish behavior; they're looking for greater insight into your character, and your life, anything that could affect your ability to do your job.

From their social-media snooping, the lion's share of managers told the researchers at Resume Builder that they aim to glean answers to questions that they don't believe they can ask job candidates, including a person's age, political posture, gender identity and marital status.

Boozing and brawling are no-nos. The most common reason for using social media as part of their evaluation process is to ensure the candidate is a good culture fit (55%), followed by looking for signs of illegal activity (45%), then curiosity (34%) and to see whether the candidate is invested in their career (29%).

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to assemble, among other rights - but it applies to government censorship and federal, state and local government employees. It does not apply to private-sector workers' political activities and opinions.

Protected classes include age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and/or veteran status.

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Employment laws vary by state

Employees can be fired for expressing political opinions. But the federal and state legal framework is a complex one, and an employer's ability to fire a staffer without facing a wrongful-dismissal suit also depends on the nature of the political speech and where it occurs.

Only a few states - New York, California and the District of Columbia - prohibit discrimination based on political beliefs. If you are having political conversations online, your rights will also be complicated by where you are employed and the nature of those political opinions.

While California is also a so-called employment-at-will state, California Labor Code Section 1101 states that no employer can prevent or forbid an employee from participating in politics, or from becoming a candidate for public office.

Section 201-D of the New York State Labor Law prohibits discrimination against private-sector workers based on "political activities outside of working hours, off of the employer's premises and without the use of the employer's equipment or other property."

The National Labor Relations Act "protects the rights of employees to act together to address conditions at work, with or without a union," but it does not address politics. It does extend to conversations related to workers' conditions that may take place on Facebook or Twitter.

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Social-media consequences

This isn't the first time Musk got into hot water on Twitter, which he renamed X some months after buying it (for $44 billion). In 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit against him, arguing that he misled investors when he proclaimed that he was considering taking Tesla private and had secured the funding to do so.

Even he was almost effectively fired, it's worth noting. Under an agreement reached with the SEC, Musk relinquished his role as chairman but kept his role as CEO. Musk and Tesla were each ordered to pay a $20 million fine to investors who lost money. (Musk subsequently decided that Tesla would remain publicly traded.)

Old videos can come back to haunt you. In 2016, Laremy Tunsil, who was widely expected to be a top draft pick, slid to 13th at the NFL draft after a video of him smoking from a bong appeared on his Twitter profile moments before the draft. He deleted the account, but it was too late.

Social media is the equivalent of a billboard in Times Square, advertising our best and worst qualities.

The offensive tackle managed to weather the worst of prospective consequences and was, he said, "blessed" to be picked by the Miami Dolphins at No. 13, having previously been projected to be selected several slots earlier. Tunsil now plays for the Washington Commanders, his third NFL team.

And therein lies the takeaway: Social media can impact whom we vote for; where we invest and spend our money; and, plastic surgeons say, the face we choose to show the world. It advertises our best and worst qualities, and we can never be certain which will have greater influence on our public image.

The lesson from last week's argy-bargy between Trump, who posted on his own social-media platform Truth Social $(DJT)$, and Musk, who aired his grievances on X: The less you say, the more powerful you appear. Hiring managers may like your number of followers, but not what you do or say.

Tweet carefully. Social media is a window to your soul - and your career prospects.

More columns from Quentin Fottrell:

Trump threatens Apple with 25% tariff: Is it time to buy an iPhone?

Pope Leo XIV's election: Pope Francis, like Warren Buffett, mastered the art of succession

April's jobs report: You won't be surprised by the 'best job' in America

-Quentin Fottrell

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June 09, 2025 08:50 ET (12:50 GMT)

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