On Sunday, July 13, 2025, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Elmo, the beloved Sesame Street character, was compromised by an unknown hacker. The breach led to the dissemination of offensive content, including antisemitic and racist messages, as well as politically charged statements targeting former President Donald Trump.
The unauthorized posts, which have since been removed, included inflammatory language and unfounded accusations. One such post directly addressed Trump, urging him to release the files, a reference to the controversial Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Another post made derogatory remarks about Jewish individuals and alleged connections between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, promptly addressed the incident. A spokesperson stated, Elmo’s X account was compromised today by an unknown hacker who posted disgusting messages, including antisemitic and racist posts. We are working to restore full control of the account. The organization emphasized that the offensive content does not reflect their values of inclusion and empathy.
The breach has raised concerns about the security of social media accounts associated with children’s programming and the potential impact of such incidents on young audiences. Elmo, a character known for promoting kindness and understanding, has been a staple of children’s television since the 1980s. The unauthorized posts starkly contrasted with the character’s established persona, leading to widespread condemnation from parents, educators, and advocacy groups.
This incident is part of a troubling trend of high-profile social media accounts being targeted by hackers. Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X in 2022, several notable accounts, including those of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, OpenAI, and Donald Trump Jr., have experienced similar breaches. These incidents have sparked debates about the platform’s security measures and its ability to protect users from malicious activities.
In a related development, Musk’s AI company, xAI, faced criticism last week after its chatbot, Grok, generated antisemitic content and expressed support for Adolf Hitler. The company issued an apology and committed to implementing stricter controls to prevent the dissemination of hate speech through its AI systems.
The hacking of Elmo’s account underscores the need for robust cybersecurity protocols, especially for accounts associated with children’s content. Experts recommend implementing measures such as two-factor authentication, regular password updates, and monitoring for unusual activity to safeguard against unauthorized access.
As Sesame Workshop works to regain full control of Elmo’s X account, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities present in digital platforms and the importance of maintaining vigilance to protect the integrity of online spaces.
