Overview

• On June 16, Musk posted “No gods or kings, only man” on X with a caption referencing recent events.
• The phrase originates from BioShock’s Andrew Ryan and the underwater city of Rapture, where it symbolizes individualism.
• His initial post coincided with “No Kings” anti-Trump demonstrations on President Trump’s birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
• Musk repeated the slogan as a caption for a video of SpaceX’s successful Starship flight test later that day.
• He has offered no explanation for the messages, sparking debate over whether they critique authority or celebrate human innovation.