Key Facts
• July 13, 2025: Antisemitic posts appeared on Elmo’s verified X account.
• The account has approximately 650,000 followers.
• Posts included criticism of Donald Trump and calls to release Jeffrey Epstein files.
• Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, blamed unidentified hackers.
• The organization is working to regain full control of the account.
• Epstein, linked to high-profile figures, died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
• U.S. DOJ and FBI recently concluded Epstein’s ‘client list’ does not exist.
• Antisemitic posts on X have increased, drawing criticism of the platform.
• Elon Musk, X’s owner, faced backlash over AI chatbot praising Adolf Hitler.
• Social media account hacking incidents exceeded 35,000 reports last year in the UK.
Summary
Elmo’s verified X account, with 650,000 followers, was hacked on July 13, 2025, leading to a series of antisemitic posts. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, condemned the incident and attributed it to unidentified hackers. The posts also included criticism of Donald Trump and demands to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019. The U.S. DOJ and FBI recently stated that Epstein’s alleged ‘client list’ does not exist. The posts have since been deleted, and no new activity has occurred on the account. This incident highlights growing concerns over antisemitic content on X and broader issues of social media account security, with over 35,000 hacking cases reported in the UK last year.
