No, Elon Musk didn’t say ‘Diddy and Epstein client list’ will be released on inauguration day

Jan. 20, 2025, is presidential Inauguration Day. Some social media posts claim it’s also when entrepreneur Elon Musk, who President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, plans to release names connected to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Sean "Diddy" Combs, the music magnate charged with sex trafficking.

"Elon Musk announces January 20th as the date for bombshell release of Diddy and Epstein client list: ‘We expose them all,’" a Nov. 27 Facebook post said. 

It was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

This claim originated on a self-described satire page, although it’s now spreading out of context on social media.

In an original Nov. 18 Facebook post, it’s clearly labeled "satire."

We found no evidence Musk said names affiliated with Epstein and Combs would be released on the scheduled date of Trump’s second inauguration. 

Musk has publicly called for the release of such lists, and in an October interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Musk  said, "If Trump wins, that Epstein client list is gonna become public." 

Featured Fact-check

Threads posts

stated on November 5, 2024 in a Threads post

Says U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin said, “Let folks cast their votes for Trump if that’s their choice. But mark my words, we won’t be certifying the election. He might win, but we’ll ensure he doesn’t step foot in the Oval Office.”

Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI director, has also called for the release of names of people associated with Epstein and Combs.  

But claims Musk said such lists will be released Jan. 20 are unfounded. 

We rate them False.