Peter FitzSimons makes extraordinary ultimatum after suggesting Americans who voted for Trump are stupid
Australian author Peter FitzSimons has hinted that he may quit Elon Musk’s ‘free speech’ platform, X, following Donald Trump’s historic presidential victory, after suggesting Americans who voted for him were stupid.
Just after 6pm AEDT on Wednesday, Trump took to the stage to declare victory over Democratic opponent Kamala Harris.
FitzSimons, who ‘quietly thought Kamala was going to win,’ was active on X as Trump announced his victory.
Throughout the night, he engaged with followers discussing Trump’s win and its impact on global politics.
One follower commented that FitzSimons was ‘witnessing the result of the dumbing down of America’ and warned Australians to learn from the US election.
FitzSimons replied, ‘That, too, is a question worth exploring. What are the political ramifications for Australia?’
In another post, he noted that he believed most Australians would ‘reel in horror at Trump’s America’, though he doubted that Trump’s style of politics would fully translate to Australia – but warned there ‘might be attempts’.
FitzSimons also agreed with another X user who described Trump’s victory as a ‘horrible outcome’ and observed that Republican supporters were ‘coming out of the woodwork’.
Australian author and left-wing journalist Peter FitzSimons (pictured with his wife Lisa Wilkinson) has said he might quit social media platform X following Donald Trump’s election win
Before the election Peter FitzSimons shared a social media post suggesting those who voted for Trump had a low IQ
‘True. And are emboldened. But, as they say in the classics, it is what it is. For us to hold the line,’ Mr FitzSimons replied.
Another suggested it was time to quit X, saying Trump, Musk, and the ‘right-wing extremists’ would make the platform unbearable.
FitzSimons added: ‘A lot of people seem to be taking that view. I’ll see how I go. If it turns into a cesspit, I guess I’ll have to, too.’
While Trump supporters celebrated his historic political comeback, many around the world were not impressed with his imminent return to the Oval Office.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt shared his disappointment, claiming Trump’s presidential win was a ‘bad day for the world’.
‘This is a pretty terrifying outcome for many of us,’ Bandt wrote.
‘In times like these, it can be easy to feel defeated. But there’s too much at stake to give up hope. We must come together and continue our fight for people and the planet.’
Bandt also claimed Trump’s administration would encourage hate and far-right extremism.
‘President Trump will embolden hate and far-right extremism in the USA and abroad,’ Bandt wrote.
‘We’ve seen far-right extremism rise around the globe and time and time again it has been fortified by Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric.’
Meanwhile Anthony Albanese has said he is ‘looking forward’ to working with Trump after he was asked if he would apologise over past comments where he was critical of the new US President.
The Prime Minister was recorded saying Trump ‘scares the s*** out of me’ while he was shadow minister for transport and infrastructure in 2017 and insisted Australia should deal with him with ‘trepidation’.
Sunrise host Nat Barr suggested Mr Albanese may need to apologise after Trump was voted in as president with Mr Albanese further probed on the matter by reporters on Thursday morning.
Republican leader Donald Trump claimed victory after beating his democratic rival Kamala Harris in key swing states
‘No, I look forward to working with President Trump,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘I’ve demonstrated, I think, my ability to work with world leaders and to develop relationships with them, which are positive.
‘And I think that I’ve demonstrated in the two-and-a-half years that I’ve had the honour of being Prime Minister.’
In 2020, Mr Albanese described Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over Trump as a ‘triumph of hope over fear’.