Elon Musk, the world's first trillionaire, has announced he is taking legal action against German public broadcaster ZDF over a report that he says misrepresented his role in anti-migrant protests in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In a post on his social media platform X on Monday, Musk wrote: 'Legal action is being taken against ZDF for their outrageous lies.' The controversy stems from a ZDFheute live segment aired on June 12, 2026, which covered violent riots in Belfast following a stabbing incident involving a Sudanese migrant.

The anchor stated: 'A racist mob went on a hunt for migrants. This was called for by a British right-wing extremist and tech billionaire Elon Musk.' Musk had previously shared posts by far-right figures Tommy Robinson and Rupert Lowe, who encouraged the protests, but he denies calling for violence.

ZDF later issued a statement defending its report but conceding that the anchor's wording was 'imprecise and therefore misleading.' The broadcaster noted that Musk had shared calls to protest, which contributed to the unrest. The riots saw hundreds of people roaming Belfast streets, setting cars and buildings on fire.

The legal action highlights ongoing tensions between Musk and European media, as he has frequently criticized traditional news outlets. ZDF, funded by license fees, is one of Germany's two main public broadcasters.

Source: www.dw.com