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Elon Musk survived as a member of the Royal Society following a crisis meeting but could still be stripped of the honour in the future as calls for his expulsion grow.
The billionaire was elected as a fellow of the UK’s national academy of sciences in 2018 for his technological achievements in the realm of space travel and electric vehicles.
However, there has been a widespread call for his removal among the scientific community – which would make him the first person thrown out of the body for over 150 years.
More than 3,400 scientists have signed an open letter accusing the X owner of breaching the society’s code of conduct.
The letter, penned by Stephen Curry, an emeritus professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, cited Musk’s apparent shift from scientific pursuits towards right-wing politics both in the US and abroad as the principal concern of other members.
Referencing Musk’s perpetuation of conspiracy theories online, his trolling of Dr Anthony Fauci and his labelling of Labour MP Jess Phillips as a ‘rape genocide apologist’, Curry argued the South African billionaire had clearly breached the Royal Society’s code of conduct.
Other issues of contention included Musk’s involvement with the Donald Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its alleged impact on the science community.
In the open letter, Curry stated: ‘The situation is rendered more serious because Mr Musk now occupies a position within a Trump administration in the USA that has over the past several weeks engaged in an assault on scientific research in the US that has fallen foul of federal courts’.
Billionaire Elon Musk has been a Fellow at the Royal Society since 2018 but could become the first Fellow to be expelled in over 150 years
The Royal Society, the world’s oldest continually existing scientific academy, was first established back in 1660 and boasts the likes of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein as previous members
Elon Musk, seen above gesturing to the crowd in what he claims was a ‘throwing my heart out to you’ movement but many have interpreted as a Nazi salute, at President Donald Trump’s inauguration last month
The ‘crisis meeting’ of the fellowship of the Royal Society took place on Monday evening and was specifically set up to discuss the public pronouncements and behaviour of fellows, The Guardian reported.
Following the meeting, the Royal Society released a statement referencing ‘radical cutbacks in research funding’ and the need to ‘counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists’ – but avoided explicitly mentioning Elon Musk by name.
The statement said: ‘At a meeting this evening of the Royal Society, Fellows agreed on the need to stand up for science and for scientists around the world in the face of the growing challenges science faces.
‘Concern was expressed, in particular, about the fate of colleagues in the US who are reportedly facing the prospect of losing their jobs amid threats of radical cutbacks in research funding.
‘Fellows, over 150 of whom attended tonight’s meeting, were united in the need for the Society to step up its efforts to advocate for science and scientists at a time when these are under threat as never before and yet at the same time have never been more necessary for humanity at large.
‘The Society agreed to look at potential further actions that might help make the case for science and scientific research and counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists.’
The Tesla CEO had a testy exchange with the ‘godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton on Sunday after Mr Hinton called for Musk to be removed from the Royal Society due to ‘the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US’
In a post on X, Mr Hinton wrote: ‘I think Elon Musk should be expelled from the British Royal Society.
‘Not because he peddles conspiracy theories and makes Nazi salutes, but because of the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US. Now let’s see if he really believes in free speech.’
The Tesla CEO had a testy exchange with AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton on Sunday after Mr Hinton called for Musk to be removed from the Royal Society due to ‘the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US’
Musk has also been heavily critical of Dr Anthony Fauci, who led the US response to the Covid 19 pandemic
Musk’s branding of Labour MP Jess Phillips as a ‘rape genocide apologist’ was also cited by Royal Society members as a breach of the society’s code of conduct
In his reply, the Tesla, SpaceX and Neuralink CEO, who also owns the social media platform X, said: ‘Only craven, insecure fools care about awards and memberships. History is the actual judge, always and forever.
‘Your comments are carelessly ignorant, cruel and false. That said, what specific actions require correction. I will make mistakes, but endeavour to fix them fast.’
The Royal Society’s code of conduct and disciplinary regulations state: ‘Fellowship and foreign membership of the society is a privilege predicated on adherence to particular standards of conduct.’
One passage in the document is explicit about the need for Royal Society members to ‘strive to uphold the reputation of the society and those who work in it’ when considering their public pronouncements or written statements.
The document says: ‘When speaking or publicising statements in a personal capacity, fellows and foreign members must still strive to uphold the reputation of the society and those who work in it, and be mindful that what is said or stated in a personal capacity could still impact the society.’
Two eminent scientists have already resigned their fellowships in protest at Musk’s continuing membership of the society.
Dr Dorothy Bishop of Oxford University and Prof Andrew Millar from University of Edinburgh have both stepped down, calling Musk’s actions and statements ‘incompatible’ with the society’s code of conduct.
Last November, Professor Dorothy Bishop, a University of Oxford psychologist, resigned from the scientific institution.
Following the crisis meeting, the Royal Society released a statement referencing ‘radical cutbacks in research funding’ and the need to ‘counter the misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists’ – but avoided explicitly mentioning Elon Musk by name
Protesting Musk’s behaviour and involvement in the 2024 US Presidential election, Prof. Bishop said she refused to be associated with a group that calls Musk a member – remarking that Musk appeared to be modelling himself on a ‘Bond villain’.
‘I just feel far more comfortable to be dissociated from an institution that continues to honour this disreputable man,’ she added.
Her resignation was followed by that of Andrew Miller, a University of Edinburgh biologist in February 2025.
Miller cited the society’s ‘inability to take proportionate action on Elon Musk’s current promotion of disinformation and attacks on evidence-based policies and science advice’ as cause for his resignation.
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