In his first interview with mainstream media since his controversial antisemitic post on X earlier this month, Elon Musk lashed out at advertisers who are abandoning the platform due to the escalating antisemitism on X (formerly known as Twitter). Following his apology for what he deemed his “dumbest” social media post, Musk went on a wild tirade against advertisers, explicitly stating that he doesn’t want those attempting to influence him with money.
Speaking at the New York Times DealBook Summit, Musk declared, “I don’t want them to advertise. If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money, go fk yourself. Go. Fk. Yourself. Is that clear?” He even added a pointed reference to Disney CEO Bob Iger, saying, “Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience.”
Several major brands, including Disney, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Comcast, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. Discovery, halted their advertising on X following Musk’s public embrace of an antisemitic conspiracy theory.
BREAKING: Elon Musk told all advertisers on Twitter to "go fuck yourself" pic.twitter.com/LBEVZucRlD
— Travis Allen (@TravisAllen02) November 29, 2023
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Despite apologizing for the contentious tweet, Musk maintained that it might be the “worst and dumbest” post he has ever made. While asserting his philosemitic stance, he recognized the difficulty in effectively conveying it.
“I mean, look, I’m sorry for that … post,” he stated. “It was foolish of me. Of the 30,000, it might be literally the worst and dumbest post I’ve ever done. And I’ve tried my best to clarify six ways from Sunday, but at least I think it’ll be obvious that, in fact, far from being antisemitic, I’m, in fact, philosemitic.
Musk’s recent visit to Israel, where he explored a Kibbutz attacked by Hamas, engaged with families of Israeli hostages, and met with political leaders, raised eyebrows. During the interview, Musk clarified that the trip was not an apology tour and emphasized that he won’t engage in performative actions to prove his character.
While discussing pressing issues with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit, Musk advocated for neutralizing those intent on murder, halting propaganda inciting violence, and promoting prosperity in Gaza. However, President Isaac Herzog expressed uncertainty about Musk’s consistency in these messages, hoping for tangible activism against antisemitism in the near future. The situation remains dynamic as Musk’s statements continue to reverberate across media platforms.
