Elon Musk is supporting calls for a new investigation into widespread child sexual abuse by grooming gangs, even suggesting King Charles III should intervene.

“National inquiry now!” Musk tweeted Friday, calling the scandal “the worst mass crime against the people of Britain ever.”

The UK has grappled for years with revelations that numerous grooming gangs, often comprised of South Asian or British Pakistani men, exploited children for decades across the country, in cities and towns including Rochdale, Telford, Manchester, and Rotherham.

A 2014 report on grooming in Rotherham found that most perpetrators were of Pakistani heritage and described the abuse as “appalling.”

“They were raped by multiple perpetrators, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten, and intimidated. There were examples of children who had been doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally violent rapes and threatened they would be next if they told anyone,” the report stated. “Girls as young as 11 were raped by large numbers of male perpetrators.”

That report indicated that approximately 1,400 children were abused between 1997 and 2013 and that the abuse “is not confined to the past but continues to this day.”

The report found police inaction and a failure to prioritize abuse cases, with at least one report “effectively suppressed” and others ignored by local authorities. Some disbelieved the reports, while others were deterred by political correctness.

“Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought racist; others remembered clear direction from their managers not to do so,” it said.

A separate investigation found a high proportion of cases involved men described as “Asian” or “Pakistani,” and that Telford authorities worried allegations “had the potential to start a ‘race riot.’” A broader 2020 Home Office report noted that while high-profile cases “mainly involved men of Pakistani ethnicity,” research also showed that White individuals were most commonly involved in group-based child sex exploitation.

Many viewed the scandal as prioritizing multiculturalism and political correctness over the welfare of British children and the prosecution of criminals.

The issue resurfaced when Oldham local politicians requested a government inquiry into child abuse from the Home Office in July. A 2022 report on Oldham’s actions from 2011-2014 found children were failed by local agencies but noted no cover-up despite “legitimate concerns” about the far-right exploiting “the high-profile convictions of predominantly Pakistani offenders across the country.”

Home Office Minister Jess Phillips responded in October, suggesting any inquiry should be locally organized. 

“Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge,’ a Home Office spokesperson stated.

“We all recognize that terrible mistakes were made in the past, with children ignored or dismissed,” they added.

This response was criticized by Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch, who advocated for a full national inquiry into what she termed the “rape gangs scandal.”

“The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal,” she tweeted. “Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots.”

“2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice,” she added.

Musk, who’s been appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, also supported calls for King Charles III’s intervention, noting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer headed the Crown Prosecution Service during the scandals (though the scandals primarily involved local authorities).

“Yes,” Musk responded to a post suggesting the King “must step in.” 

He continued, “They oppose an inquiry, because it will show that those in power were complicit in the cover-up,” referring to the government.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded to Musk’s comments, telling ITV News that the government takes child abuse “incredibly seriously” and reiterated that an Oldham inquiry should be locally led.

“Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but we’re willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue,” he said. “So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we’d welcome that.”

Digital reached out to the British government’s Home Office for comment.