Sesame Workshop Addresses 'disgusting' Antisemitic Posts On Hacked Elmo X Account

Sesame Workshop said nan X relationship for its beloved fuzzy, reddish monster Elmo was compromised by an "unknown hacker" who made antisemitic and racist posts to its charismatic relationship connected Sunday.

The posts, which a spokesperson for Sesame Workshop described arsenic "disgusting messages," person since been removed from nan account, which has complete 650,000 followers. Screenshots of nan posts, astir six successful total, person continued to recirculate crossed societal media.

The Elmo account, which successful nan past has gone viral for its family-friendly upbeat messaging and humorous posts, called for unit against Jews and described President Donald Trump arsenic a "puppet" of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The hacker besides alleged Trump "is successful nan Epstein files," referencing lawsuit files related to convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died successful 2019 while successful custody.

A spokesperson for Sesame Workshop said Sunday that they “are moving to reconstruct afloat power of nan account.” A spokesperson for X did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected Monday.

The Elmo hack follows disapproval toward X after its AI chatbot Grok wrote antisemitic posts, including 1 that praised Hitler. In a connection posted connected Grok’s X relationship past week, nan institution apologized “for nan horrific behaviour that galore experienced.”

The Anti-Defamation League, a non-governmental statement that fights antisemitism, called nan hack "appalling."

“It’s appalling that his charismatic X account, known for spreading kindness, was hacked yesterday solely to dispersed convulsive antisemitism,” nan group wrote successful a statement connected Monday. “Antisemitism connected societal media fosters nan normalization of anti-Jewish dislike online and offline, and contributes to an progressively threatening situation for Jewish group everywhere.”

The posts besides travel amid amid fallout complete nan “Epstein files” from Trump’s MAGA base, who person called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to beryllium fired aft she released a two-page memo saying that nan department’s reappraisal turned up nary “client list” of powerful men who allegedly participated successful Epstein’s schemes, and location was nary “credible grounds recovered that Epstein blackmailed salient individuals.”

Elmo’s relationship has not made a station since nan hacking.

The character's different societal media accounts do not look to person been affected.