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Billionaire entrepreneur and X owner Elon Musk has once again voiced his concerns about declining birth rates in the West, calling it the biggest threat to its continued existence. In a recent post on X, Musk warned, “There will be no West if this continues,” adding that migration also poses a significant risk. This statement comes as the US fertility rate hit a record low in 2024, with fewer than 1.6 children per woman.
Musk, a father of at least 14 children, has frequently used his platform to encourage people to have larger families. His personal life reflects this belief, with children from multiple partners, including twins conceived via IVF with an employee. While an immigrant himself, having emigrated from South Africa to Canada before ultimately becoming a US citizen, Musk identified migration as a close second to low birth rates in the dangers facing Western nations.
The CDC confirms the 2024 US fertility rate aligns with those of many European countries. In response, the Trump administration has explored measures like expanding access to affordable in vitro fertilization and potential “baby bonuses.”
However, University of Colorado Boulder researcher Leslie Root offers a different perspective. Root emphasizes that the US population continues to grow naturally, with births exceeding deaths. She views the declining fertility rate as part of a broader trend of delayed parenthood.
While Musk has repeatedly expressed fears of underpopulation, experts have largely dismissed his concerns. He has previously stated that contrary to popular belief, the world is not overpopulated, but rather faces the opposite problem.
Meanwhile, South Korea continues to hold the record for the lowest birth rate globally, plummeting to approximately 0.7 in 2023. In the US, the downward trend in birth rates across most age groups persists, with many citing financial pressures, healthcare costs, and career aspirations as contributing factors.