While the actions themselves may be shocking, it is this pattern that The Guardian points out that is worrying. It is not new. Elon has been doing this Twitter for a while, but the scale at which he operates now is what is concerning.
He could have done what he wanted, without this engagement on Twitter, but he chose to do it!
The 18F episode fits a common pattern of how Musk appears to ingest and amplify misinformation online. It is also a window into the influence of rightwing media and activists on Musk as he attacks and disbands parts of the government he believes don’t fit with his ideological worldview.