Elon Musk sends vulgar message to advertisers leaving X after antisemitic post
Elon Musk, the world's richest person and owner of X, used an expletive toward advertisers who recently left the platform following antisemitic conspiracy theories he has amplified.
Several major companies, including Apple, IBM and Walt Disney pulled ads from the platform after he called an antisemitic post earlier in November "the actual truth." Speaking at the 2023 New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday in New York, Musk called the advertising boycott "blackmail," then repeatedly told the advertisers to "(expletive) yourself."
"Is that clear?" he asked. "I hope it is."
He added that the advertising boycott will "kill the company, and the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company."
Elon Musk's comment: Outrage grows over antisemitic 'actually truth' post
Musk bought the platform in 2022, then called Twitter, for $44 billion.
Musk later apologized for amplifying the antisemitic conspiracy theory, saying it was "one of the most foolish if not the most foolish thing I’ve ever done on the platform.”
X CEO Linda Yaccarino defended Musk in a post on Wednesday, writing that he had given a "wide ranging and candid interview."
"And here’s my perspective when it comes to advertising: X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of Free Speech and Main Street — and the X community is powerful and is here to welcome you," Yaccarino's post reads. "To our partners who believe in our meaningful work -- Thank You."
Today @elonmusk gave a wide ranging and candid interview at @dealbook 2023. He also offered an apology, an explanation and an explicit point of view about our position. X is enabling an information independence that's uncomfortable for some people. We're a platform that allows… https://t.co/PSmSKRkJSq
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) November 30, 2023
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elon Musk interview: X owner lashes out at advertisers leaving
