X chief Elon Musk has defended the platform’s fact-checking system after a close aide of former US President Donald Trump reacted sharply to being flagged for a post critical of India.

The aide had alleged that India was profiting by purchasing Russian oil at discounted rates following the Ukraine war. Soon after, X users added Community Notes clarifying that India’s purchases were in line with its energy security needs and not in violation of sanctions. The note further highlighted that many other countries had increased Russian oil imports during the same period.

Unhappy with the intervention, the aide dismissed the fact-check as a “crap note” and accused X of trying to interfere in the debate. He claimed India had started buying Russian oil only after the war began, suggesting the move was purely profit-driven.

Responding to the criticism, Musk reiterated that the Community Notes system applies equally to all users. “People decide the narrative. Community Notes corrects everyone, no exceptions. The notes, data, and code are open source,” he said. Musk also added that X’s AI assistant Grok supports the process by providing additional fact-checking.

The exchange reflects the growing role of Community Notes in shaping conversations on X. Musk has repeatedly maintained that the feature ensures transparency by allowing users worldwide to add context to posts, especially on sensitive global issues.