Elon Musk Unleashes Verbal Firestorm at Advertisers

Elon Musk, the charismatic and often controversial CEO of X, made headlines at The New York Times' DealBook summit when he delivered a bold message to his advertisers: 'Go f*** yourself.' The outburst came in response to a growing advertising boycott, with major companies like Disney, Apple, Paramount, Airbnb, and Uber pulling their ads from X.

Host Andrew Ross Sorkin pressed Musk on the situation, particularly focusing on Disney CEO Bob Iger's explanation for the ad withdrawal. Musk's response was clear and unapologetic: 'Don't advertise. If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f*** yourself.'

Musk, known for his candid and at times confrontational approach, addressed the potential repercussions of the advertising boycott, stating it could 'kill the company.' He emphasized, 'The whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company.'

Even X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, appointed by Musk in June, appeared stone-faced in the front row during the heated exchange.

In the face of criticism and questions about a controversial tweet on November 15, Musk expressed no regrets about being disliked. He stated, 'Essentially I handed a loaded gun to the people who hate me.' Musk complained that attempts to clarify his post were ignored by the media.

Despite a recent visit to Israel, touring areas affected by an attack, and meeting with the country's leaders, Musk insisted it wasn't an 'apology tour.' Instead, he urged critics to focus on his work, asserting, 'We make the best cars. Whether you hate me, like me, or are indifferent, do you want the best car or not the best car?'

Musk did offer an apology for his seeming support of white nationalists, particularly in response to a post on X criticizing a Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism campaign video. Musk acknowledged that, in retrospect, he shouldn't have replied to that specific post.

The article delves into Musk's history of controversial remarks, touching on his use of dog-whistle rhetoric about Jewish people and past comments related to the Israel-Hamas war. Despite facing criticism from groups like the Anti-Defamation League, Musk remained defiant, accusing the boycotting companies of blackmail and delivering a shocking message to them: 'They can go f*** themselves.'

In an attempt to explain his tweet, Musk criticized groups like the Anti-Defamation League, stating, 'What I was saying was that it's unwise to support groups that want your annihilation.'

Elon Musk's unfiltered and bold statements continue to make waves, leaving both supporters and critics grappling with the complex and controversial figure at the helm of X.