Elon Musk’s social media company, X, continues to face scrutiny as a new report reveals that it has accepted payments from entities barred from doing business in the U.S. The Tech Transparency Project (TTP) found that X is still taking payments from accounts affiliated with Hezbollah leaders, Houthi officials, and militia leaders in Syria and Iraq. These subscriptions cost $8 a month and provide users with a blue check mark originally intended for notable figures. The subscriptions include additional perks like more prominent placement in X’s algorithm, the ability to edit posts, and the option to share longer videos.
Last year, TTP reported that X had granted paid blue check marks to 28 accounts associated with sanctioned entities. While X removed badges from some accounts and suspended others, several accounts repurchased them within a month and retained them. According to TTP, over 200 accounts linked to terrorist and other sanctioned groups have now acquired blue check marks.
Director of TTP, Katie Paul, stated, “They rely on the premium services to amplify long propaganda posts and extended videos. They are not just subscribing for the blue check notoriety; they are subscribing for the premium services.”
Elon Musk, also serving as a special adviser to President Trump, criticized the Treasury Department, arguing that it lacks “basic controls” to track payments and prevent them from reaching terrorist groups. In a February conversation with President Trump in the Oval Office, Musk asserted that such controls should be in place at any company.
Funds scrutinized for sanctioned entities
The continuation of this controversy raises questions about the efficacy of regulatory mechanisms and corporate accountability in curbing financial operations linked to sanctioned entities. X emphasized that it has robust measures to ensure compliance with legal obligations, but acknowledged that several accounts might not be directly listed on sanction lists.
The platform’s premium service costs $8 per month or $84 per year for X Premium and is significantly higher for Premium+ and organizational verifications. The TTP’s study, conducted between November 2024 and April 2025, found that despite suspensions, some individuals had managed to resubscribe to premium services or create new accounts. Disturbingly, the TTP also found that X’s chatbot, Grok, appears to be helping to whitewash accounts linked to sanctioned terrorists.
Clicking the Grok AI profile summary button for these accounts generated praise, relying on the users’ own posts and their followers’ impressions. The TTP’s director, Katie Paul, noted that X has acknowledged the report but has not commented on it. Earlier this year, when the TTP flagged other suspected terrorist accounts, X claimed to have “a robust and secure approach” to block sanctioned terrorists from accessing monetization features.
However, the TTP suggested that even providing services “for the benefit of any blocked person” could be considered a U.S. national security risk and a sanctions violation. The issue remains unresolved, raising concerns about platform safety and the potential for ongoing violations.
Rashan is a seasoned technology journalist and visionary leader serving as the Editor-in-Chief of DevX.com, a leading online publication focused on software development, programming languages, and emerging technologies. With his deep expertise in the tech industry and her passion for empowering developers, Rashan has transformed DevX.com into a vibrant hub of knowledge and innovation. Reach out to Rashan at [email protected]
