Elon Musk sparked a firestorm online after responding to a viral TikTok video that appeared to show a Somali-American woman saying he was “about to die.” Musk’s terse, four-word response: “Then it is war.”
The incident began when an unidentified TikTok user, later confirmed as Fardowsa Muhumed, appeared on a livestream while playing a video of Musk on her phone. Speaking partly in another language before switching to English, Muhumed said: “I wouldn’t worry too much about him. He about to die.”
The clip spread rapidly across X and TikTok, with millions of views within hours. Musk reposted the video to his own X account, pinning his response — “Then it is war” — to the top of his profile.
Muhumed, who public profiles show is a graduate of KIPP Kansas City and Frontier STEM High School, has described herself in prior interviews as a future pre-med student at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, focused on “reducing racial inequities for refugee mothers in healthcare.”
Many interpreted her words as a death threat against one of the world’s most powerful business figures. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) posted on X, “Deport her immediately. She shouldn’t be here.”
Facing growing scrutiny, Muhumed released a lengthy video statement Friday, insisting that her words were “badly misinterpreted and misheard” and that she never intended to threaten Musk’s life.
“If you told me a week ago that my name and Elon Musk’s name would be spoken in the same breath, I wouldn’t have believed you,” she began. “On December 31, 2025, my life took a tragic turn. I was badly misinterpreted and misheard in a non-viral clip. My words — and what they were translated to — were taken greatly out of context. I want to make myself clear: I never intended or even aimed to threaten the life of Elon Musk. I am not a person who carries hate.”
Muhumed claimed the viral segment had been “edited in a way that removed the heart of what I was trying to say.” According to her, she was responding to viewer comments about Musk’s health after photos of him on vacation circulated online.
“My intention was never to mock, insult, or be cruel in any way,” she said. “As a person gets older, health becomes more important, and it is something we should all take seriously and treat with care. My message was meant to encourage kindness toward our bodies and toward one another if we want to live long, luxurious lives.”
Muhumed also alleged that Musk’s reaction intensified harassment toward her. “Elon Musk tweeted the same viral video twice, hours apart,” she said. “In one tweet, he said, and I quote, ‘Wonderful people.’ In the more recent tweet, which is currently still pinned at the top of his profile, he stated, and I quote, ‘Then it is war.’”
“This tweet has caused me great discomfort,” she continued. “My intentions were never to make Elon Musk uncomfortable or feel unsafe in any way. I don’t know how a billionaire can be scared of a little girl who doesn’t have even a fraction of his power — but go off, king.”
She said she has since faced widespread threats and doxxing. “My private information is being shared all over the internet, and I have received an endless number of threats because of this miscommunication,” she said. “I am truly in fear for my future. But what a beautiful way to start the year.”
Musk has not issued any further comment since posting “Then it is war,” though the post remains visible to his more than 200 million followers. Law enforcement officials have not confirmed whether an investigation is underway.