After "donating" a free month of internet service to people who buy his hardware, Musk is sharing videos of his heroism. As is his expertise in everything, much of the aid Musk offered is illusory.
Starting February 10, anyone who purchased a $349 kit and claimed the "free" service will be transferred to "a paid Residential subscription," which is currently $120 monthly. Existing Starlink customers living in eligible areas were given a one-month subscription credit.
The disconnect between Musk's public announcement and the reality of the residential internet offer is part of a pattern in Musk's response to the Los Angeles fires. While the initiatives helped some people, the impact is far more limited than Musk's posts — and the attendant media coverage — suggest.
MuskWatch
He loaned a few CyberTrucks to the effort, and 1350 Starlink terminals were claimed to be in the hands of first responders, but no one could locate them. Musk, however, made sure to share the social media, crediting him with great work.
With the fires still raging on January 12, Musk took the opportunity to cast himself as a hero, reposting a video that praised him for stepping up "big time" and saving "thousands of lives." The clip, originally shared by a pro-Trump account, included photos of Musk posing that were superimposed over wildfire footage.
MuskWatch
Remember how much help Elon gave Puerto Rico?
Previously:
• Elon Musk spreads fake bomb threat rumor at Trump rally
• Elon Musk dispatches DOGE agents across country before he's even inaugurated
• 'They're such NPCs' — Why Elon Musk thinks you're not real