The billionaire – who looks set to be a member of Donald Trump’s administration – has attacked the UK Government after GB News reported that Ms Phillips rejected Oldham Council’s plea for a government-led inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation in the town.
Instead, the Safeguarding minister, said a locally-led investigation was more appropriate.
Mr Musk also ramped up his attack on Sir Keir Starmer, accusing the Prime Minister of being “complicit in the crimes” of child sex offenders.
Speaking on a visit to Epsom hospital in Surrey, Sir Keir said: “Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims. They’re interested in themselves.
“Those who are cheerleading [the far-right activist] Tommy Robinson are not interested in justice.
“They’re supporting a man who went to prison for nearly collapsing a grooming case, a gang grooming case.
“These are people trying to get some kind of vicarious thrill from street violence that people like Tommy Robinson promote.”
Expressing his support for his safeguarding minister, the Prime Minister said: “And those attacking Jess Phillips, whom I’m proud to call a colleague and a friend, on protecting victims – Jess Phillips has done 1,000 times more than they’ve even dreamt about when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse throughout her entire career.”
He added: “We’ve seen this playbook many times, whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it.
“Jess Phillips does not need me or anybody else to speak on her behalf. But when the poison of the far right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, that in my book [means] a line has been crossed.”
Mr Musk continued his attacks on Sir Keir following his speech, describing him as “utterly despicable” and “insane” and accusing the Prime Minister of refusing demands for a national inquiry because it would show he was “deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes”.
On Monday morning, he posted a poll on his X account asking whether America should “liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government”.
The First Minister was asked how he planned on dealing with Mr Musk’s role in the incoming Trump administration, given the billionaire has also clashed with his predecessor Humza Yousaf online.
Mr Swinney said: “The whole theme of my speech today is about the importance of addressing issues that are relevant in people’s lives today and to provide the solutions.
“Those solutions are not always straightforward and they’re certainly not as glib as populists like Elon Musk would suggest they are.”
Mr Swinney also said there should be no external interference in Scottish politics “whether it comes from London or the United States or Russia or anywhere else”.
Later, the First Minister said he wanted to examine the rules around foreign donations on a cross-party basis.
There has been speculation Mr Musk would seek to make a multi-million pound donation to Reform UK, though more recently its leader Nigel Farage has fallen out of the billionaire’s favour.
Mr Swinney said: “My view of the world today is that our electoral law prevents international or external donations – I’ve read enough over the course of the last few weeks that makes me think ‘I wonder how robust that actually is’”.
He also said: “What I heard and saw being said about Jess Phillips I thought was completely and utterly reprehensible.”