German luxury carmaker BMW came under fire on Thursday after its UK arm suddenly announced it would “stop posting” to X. Many users see the move as a strange way to protest the social media site's owner, Elon Musk.
Musk came under scrutiny this week after he extended his arms twice in an awkward gesture that critics called a “Nazi salute” while attending President Trump's inauguration.
BMW UK wrote on its official X account that it would no longer post to X, but did not give a reason for the decision.
“Don't worry, our customer support team is still here if you need it. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at BMWUK for all the latest BMW news.”
The company quickly came under fire from X users who pointed out BMW's own sordid history with Nazi Germany.
“Is this you?” alt-right activist Jack Posobiec wrote and posted. A black and white photo of Adolf Hitler inspecting a BMW facility.
Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee even called for a boycott of the brand, which bills itself as the “ultimate driving machine.”
“BMW = “more awake” Lee wrote to X. “Don't buy their car.”
In 2016, the company expressed “deep regret” for the “tremendous suffering” caused by the use of slave labor during World War II.
“Elon just said, 'My heart goes out to you.' On the other hand, you… your background isn't very pretty, is it?” User X @Left_Right_2 said.
One user joked: BMW said the announcement was a “historic event” as it was “the first time that a BMW has signaled before departing from its lane.”
Sawyer MerrittMusk, who runs the well-known X account, which frequently interacts with Mr Musk, criticized the BMW UK account.
“Their posts received an average of 12 likes,” Merritt wrote.
When asked for comment, a BMW UK spokesperson said the account would no longer be posting, but that the department would “continue to work on X”.
A spokesperson did not respond to questions about whether Musk's actions prompted the move.
“The social media presence of the BMW Group brands is managed by each region to meet their specific requirements,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“In the UK, we remain actively committed to X and provide dedicated customer support channels to meet our customers' needs,” the spokesperson added.
“This approach will vary by brand and region, reflecting the specific needs of each market.”
Musk, 55, hit back at those who accused him of giving a Nazi salute.
“Frankly, they need more dirty tricks. I'm tired of the 'everyone is Hitler' attack,” Musk said. Said in X's post.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among those who defended Musk.
“Elon is a great friend of Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Israel after the October 7 massacre, when Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocities against Jews since the Holocaust.
