JD Vance, Elon Musk bash 'legacy media' for ‘misleading’ headlines on Germany Christmas market attack; Netizens react

Germany Christmas market attack led to severe criticism of popular media outlets for downplaying the driver's culpability.

Published on: Dec 21, 2024, 16:13:09 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Two people were killed and at least 60 others were injured when a Saudi man's car intentionally crashed into a busy Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Saturday, sending shockwaves in the nation. The German Police described the tragedy as a planned attack.

Germany car attack: Police stand at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, after a driver plowed into a group of people at the market late Friday.  (AP)

Prominent media outlets, such as the Associated Press (AP), have faced harsh criticism for their headlines, which some argue downplay the driver's culpability. The outcry grew more intense after confirmed bystander video revealed the driver was detained on the spot.

A community post that clarified the matter on X (previously Twitter) noted the AP headline: “A car has driven' implies the car drove itself, which is factually incorrect.”

“A man from Saudi Arabia intentionally drove the car into the Christmas market as a terror attack,” it highlighted.

Also Read: Germany: Video shows dramatic moment when police arrested Christmas market car ‘attack’ suspect

JD Vance asks ‘Who was driving the car?’

Reacting to the outrage, US Vice President-elect JD Vance challenged the narrative of the media as he asked on X, “Who was driving the car?”

His remark stoked a continuing discussion on whether the media purposefully obscures truth in these situations with use of passive language.

Expressing condolences, Vance further wrote: “Our prayers go to the people affected by this terrible attack on a Christmas market in Germany. What a ghastly attack so close to Christmas.”

Elon Musk joins the critics to bash legacy media

Musk joined the discussion as well, criticising other media sites for similar headlines in addition to the AP. The Tesla CEO increased criticism of traditional news outlets by posting: “You don't hate the lying legacy media enough.”

It wasn't just the AP that received criticism. The Guardian's headline, which referred to the vehicle as a “dark BMW” without identifying the driver, drew condemnation as well. “Hey @guardian, I’m pretty sure a ‘dark BMW’ didn’t decide to drive into a crowd enjoying their Christmas market. Stop insulting our intelligence,” one X user wrote.

Netizens too express fury

Netizens bombarded the AP and other media outlets with condemnation, accusing them of prejudice and misinformation.

“Seriously @AP? Are you kidding us with this headline? If it was a white person driving, you’d scream it out on every headline. But since it’s a Saudi, you’re ignoring the driver’s identity,” one user wrote.

“This headline pretty well encapsulates the last decade in journalism. It’s passive, misleading, and avoids the hard truths,” another commented.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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