Elon Musk, during a tumultuous interview at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, responded to advertisers boycotting X/Twitter due to his recent promotion of an antisemitic tweet with a brash “go f*ck yourself.” The interview, oscillating between defiance and concern for the future of his social network, featured noteworthy moments, such as Musk delving into the inner “storm” in his mind and predicting that ongoing advertising boycotts could lead to the company’s bankruptcy.
Musk explicitly dismissed advertisers attempting to influence him with their financial power, stating, “If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money — go f*ck yourself,” and directing a shoutout to Disney president Bob Iger, discouraging further advertising. Iger, present at the DealBook Summit, had earlier explained Disney’s decision to withdraw ads from the platform, expressing concerns about the association with Musk and X.
The advertiser exodus from X/Twitter ensued after Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory, labelling it as “the actual truth.” Reports from Media Matters additionally claimed ads were being placed alongside antisemitic content, prompting Musk to file a lawsuit against the organization. Notably, various studios have quietly ceased their postings on X/Twitter.
Despite acknowledging his antisemitic post as a “mistake” and one of the most foolish acts on the platform, Musk did not address the lawsuit against Media Matters in the interview. He expressed regret for not providing more extensive clarification in response to the controversy, acknowledging that his initial response may have inadvertently empowered those who harbour resentment towards him or hold antisemitic views.
The interview covered a range of topics, including Tesla sales, interplanetary exploration, and OpenAI. Musk’s leadership at Twitter, now rebranded as X, has been marked by controversy, encompassing substantial alterations to the platform’s verification process and public declarations of intent to challenge Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Other participants in the interview included Bob Iger, Vice President Kamala Harris, and various other notable figures.