Musk defends himself on X after anti-Semitic uproar worsens

(Bloomberg) — Elon Musk slammed “fake” media reports that accused him of anti-Semitism, issuing his strongest response yet after endorsing anti-Semitic content in an X post that sparked outrage and alienated advertisers like Apple.

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The backlash erupted last week after the billionaire Tesla CEO and Company This letter has since drawn criticism from the White House as well as many Tesla investors. The Walt Disney Company was among the major corporate names to distance itself from the platform formerly known as Twitter.

On Sunday, the businessman tweeted that he wished “only the best for humanity.” Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was among those who rose to Musk’s defense. The financier said last month that it would be interested in pursuing a deal with X Corp. As part of a new investment vehicle targeting private companies seeking to raise $1.5 billion or more and possibly go public, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Musk has a track record of promoting hate speech. His latest post sparked criticism from politicians and some of the world’s largest companies, who have long urged the billionaire to better control content on his platform.

Several advertising executives privately urged X CEO Linda Yaccarino over the weekend to resign in order to save her reputation, the Financial Times reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. But she refused to resign, saying she believed in the company’s mission, the Financial Times reported.

Read more: Bill Ackman defends Musk after anti-Semitic backlash over X

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-With assistance from Dana Hall.

(Updates with advertiser pressure on CEO in fifth paragraph)

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