Musk’s AI Grok sparks row after labeling Trump ‘criminal’

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, is facing backlash after describing U.S. President Donald Trump as “the most notorious criminal” in Washington, D.C. The comment, made on Musk’s social media platform X in response to questions about crime in the capital, cited Trump’s 34 felony convictions in New York for falsifying business records as the reason for the label.

The remark surfaced just as Trump claimed crime in Washington was “out of control” and pledged to federalise the city’s police and deploy the National Guard if re-elected. The AI’s statement has fuelled political debate online, with Trump supporters accusing the bot of bias and others warning about AI’s influence on political narratives.

Meanwhile, Trump on Monday said U.S. tariffs on India over Russian oil purchases had dealt a “big blow” to Moscow’s economy. Ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week, Trump called India one of Russia’s top oil buyers and criticised its continued imports.

In recent weeks, Trump has doubled tariffs on India to 50 per cent, targeting Russian oil trade. The increase came in two stages — a 25 per cent levy announced on July 30 and another 25 per cent on August 7.