Social media star squirrel Peanut euthanised, Elon Musk says ‘Trump will save…’

After internet sensation Peanut the Squirrel was seized from his owner’s home and euthanised by the state officials, the tech giant Elon Musk took to his X account to voice outrage. The self-proclaimed “dark gothic MAGA” criticised authorities and said that Donald Trump would “save the squirrels.”
Musk, in a series of posts on X, slammed the government for what he called “overreach” in a case of Peanut the Squirrel.
“Government overreach kidnapped an orphan squirrel and executed him,” Musk posted, denouncing what he sees as unnecessary intervention.
“The government should leave people and their animals alone,” he added.
The tech billionaire spent much of the day commenting on the issue, likening it to the revenge-driven plot of the John Wick movies.
“John Wick just wanted peace, but then [they] killed his innocent, beloved dog,” Musk wrote, drawing a parallel between the fictional character’s loss and the squirrel’s fate.
The death of Peanut the Squirrel quickly became a rallying point for former President Trump’s supporters on X, where they shared AI-generated memes of the critter donning MAGA hats, aiming AR-15s, and perched on Trump’s shoulder.
“Reminder: Kamala’s party executed a cute pet squirrel named Peanut this week because they’re lunatics. Vote Trump to avenge Peanut!” Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck posted, attaching one of the AI images.
“Serious note: If Trump works Peanut into his speech with a RIP graphic behind him, this race is officially over. We want justice for Peanut!,” he added.
Many users criticised what they saw as government overreach, arguing that unchecked power, especially in states like New York, is a growing concern.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said that they have initiated a probe after receiving information about “potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets.”
“On October 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanised,” the agencies said in a statement, CBS News in New York reported.