Elmo Twitter Needs A Hug - And Full Security Sweep: Who Hacked Character's Account?

Elmo, the beloved red monster from Sesame Street, strangely found himself at the centre of an online drama on Sunday after his official X (formerly Twitter) account was hijacked and used to post a series of racist and antisemitic messages.

With more than 670,000 followers, the verified account typically shares wholesome content that reflects Elmo's childlike personality. However, early Sunday morning, it was overtaken by what the Sesame Workshop described as an 'unknown hacker,' who unleashed a string of offensive and threatening posts.

Some of the messages included disturbing antisemitic language and references to US President Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and conspiracy theories. One of the most widely circulated posts read: 'Elmo says ALL JEWS SHOULD DIE. F---JEWS. DONALD TRUMP IS NETANYAHU'S PUPPET BECAUSE HE IS IN THE EPSTEIN FILES.'

Another post tagged the former President directly, stating: 'RELEASE THE FILES @realDonaldTrump CHILD F---ER.'

Swift Backlash and Deleted Content

The world is aware that social media wastes no time in documenting any online drama. Hence, the posts made by the hacked account were up long enough to be screenshoted and shared widely, though they were later removed. The account also replied to several users with slurs and violent rhetoric.

Sesame Workshop, which oversees the character, issued a statement soon after the breach:

'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.'

By Sunday evening, the profile had returned to normal, but the incident left a stain on what is usually a light-hearted digital presence.

Social Media Reacts in Shock and Saracasm

The hack stunned users across the political spectrum, with many reacting in disbelief that such a universally beloved children's character had been weaponised online.

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote, 'I'm forever scarred ... by @elmo. Words I never expected to utter.'

HuffPost deputy editor Philip Lewis added: 'I thought we all agreed @elmo is off limits.'

Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida) also weighed in with a jab at ongoing funding cuts to public broadcasting: 'See what happens when you defund PBS @elmo.'

Even Matthew Foldi, editor-in-chief of The Washington Reporter, joined the commentary with a tongue-in-cheek observation: 'Elmo would win at least 10% in a nationwide Democratic primary based on these tweets alone.'

A Broader Conversation

While the posts were quickly taken down, the incident reignited conversation about the vulnerability of public figures and public institutions on social media.

Sesame Street, which first aired in 1969, has long been funded in part by PBS, the publicly funded broadcaster. In recent years, it has been a target in political debates. President Donald Trump, who was mentioned in the hacked posts, has repeatedly attacked PBS, calling for its funding to be slashed.

Just last week, he wrote on Truth Social, 'DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together.'

The hack also resurfaced conversation around Trump's long-standing connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. On Saturday, Trump had posted about the issue himself, saying, 'For years, it's Epstein, over and over again... not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.'

Incident Demands Tighter Security Measures

Elmo, who has been a fixture on Sesame Street since the 1980s and is known to be an empathetic friend to many, has survived many pop culture waves, but Sunday's hack was an unexpected and disturbing moment for fans of all ages.

It follows a string of incidents where fake or carefully crafted posts involving the character have gone viral, including a recent satirical LinkedIn post claiming Elmo had been 'laid off due to federal budget cuts.'

For now, the red monster's timeline is back to its usual cheerful tone. However, the incident has sparked calls for tighter social media security measures, especially for accounts tied to iconic figures meant to represent joy, learning, and innocence.

Because if even Elmo isn't safe online, who is?