Elon Musk, in his first mainstream media interview since his controversial antisemitic post on X, expressed regret for what he termed his “dumbest” social media blunder.
However, he strongly criticized advertisers departing from his platform due to increased antisemitism on X, bluntly stating, “If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money, go f**k yourself. Go. F**k. Yourself.”
During the New York Times DealBook Summit, Musk voiced his sentiments, specifically mentioning Disney CEO Bob Iger, though Disney did not immediately respond to his comments.
Notably, Linda Yaccarino, tasked with reengaging major advertisers, was present during Musk’s discussion.
In a lengthy and candid conversation, Musk admitted to being comfortable with being disliked, stating, “Hate away. There’s a real weakness to wanting to be liked.”
Dressed in a leather jacket, black jeans, leather boots, and wearing a necklace inscribed with “bring them home,” a gift from an Israeli hostage’s family member, Musk acknowledged the challenges of the past year and confessed to occasionally misspeaking.
Following his tweet associated with an antisemitic conspiracy, prominent brands, including Disney, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Comcast, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros. Discovery, paused advertising on X.
Musk conceded that the controversial post might be his “worst” and apologized, asserting, “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.”
While visiting Israel recently and meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, Musk clarified that the trip wasn’t an apology tour and emphasized his reluctance to perform to gain approval.
He conveyed his intentions to Netanyahu regarding the need to neutralize violence, cease provocative propaganda, and promote prosperity in Gaza to create a better future.
However, Herzog remained uncertain about Musk’s consistency in his activism against antisemitism, expressing hope for future actions.
“We had an open and frank conversation, which I found interesting and mutually beneficial. I sincerely hope that we will see some of his activism against antisemitism in the near future,” Herzog stated regarding their discussion at the DealBook Summit.
Source-CNN
