Elon Musk's Bold Message to Advertisers: No More Blackmail
Elon Musk dismisses advertisers' attempts to manipulate him, firmly asserting his stance during the New York Times DealBook Summit in New York
During his first interview with mainstream media since his recent antisemitic post on X, Elon Musk issued an apology on Wednesday for what he described as his "dumbest" social media post ever. However, he also expressed frustration at advertisers who were pulling out of his platform due to the increase in antisemitism on X.
"I don't want them to advertise," he stated at the New York Times DealBook Summit in New York. "If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money, go f**k yourself. Go. F**k. Yourself," he continued. "Is that clear? Hey Bob, if you're in the audience," he added, addressing Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Musk also expressed his indifference to being disliked, stating, "Go ahead and hate me. There's a vulnerability in seeking approval." Dressed in a leather jacket, black jeans, leather boots, and a necklace with the inscription "bring them home," gifted by a family member of an Israeli hostage, Musk acknowledged that it has been a challenging year and conceded to occasionally misspeaking.
Several major brands halted their advertising on X, formerly known as Twitter, this month after Musk publicly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory commonly favored by White supremacists. The advertising exodus involved prominent media companies such as Disney, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Comcast, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN.
He also admitted that his tweet, criticized as antisemitic, may be "the worst" he has ever posted. "I regret that post," he stated. "It was a mistake on my part. Out of the 30,000 posts I have made, it might be the most foolish and dumbest one. I have made numerous attempts to clarify my stance, but I hope it is clear that I am not antisemitic and actually support and admire Jewish people."
Musk's recent visit to Israel included a stop at a Kibbutz attacked by Hamas, where he met with the families of Israeli hostages and held discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Despite speculation, Musk clarified that his visit was not an apology tour or a response to the events in Israel. He maintained that while he is a good person, he will not "tap dance" to prove it.
Musk informed Netanyahu about the recent attacks on Monday, expressing the need to neutralize those who are intent on murder, stop the propaganda that trains future murderers, and work towards making Gaza prosperous for a better future. He also expressed his willingness to help. However, Herzog was unsure about Musk's consistency in his messaging during a separate conversation at the DealBook Summit.
"Our discussion was candid and stimulating, and I believe it was advantageous for both parties," Herzog remarked. "I truly hope that we will witness some of his activism against antisemitism in the near future."
This is a developing story and is being updated.
Brian Fung and Clare Duffy contributed to this report
