Billionaire and X owner Elon Musk had choice words for advertisers who are boycotting X — “Go F*** yourself.”
WARNING:The following video contains vulgar language that some viewers may find offensive.
He spoke candidly about his stance during an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times DealBook Summit, which. aired on CNBC.
Musk was asked about advertisers leaving X, formerly known as Twitter, after he was criticized for agreeing with an “antisemitic post,” via The Hill.
Sorkin stated, “There was advertisers leaving. We talked to bob iger today.”
Before Sorkin finished his sentence, Musk said, “I hope they stop.”
He elaborated, “Don’t advertise!”
Sorkin was taken aback at this and said, “You don’t want them to advertise?”
Musk looked at the crowd and said, “No.”
“What do you mean?” Sorkin asked.
Musk stated, “If someone’s going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f*** yourself.”
Sorkin covered his mouth and then scrambled to ask, “But…”
Then Musk reiterated his stance. He gestured grandly and slowly said, “Go. F*** yourself!” while the audience laughed.
He added, “Is that clear? I hope it is.”
“Hey, Bob, if you’re in the audience … that’s how I feel,” Musk concluded, addressing Disney’s CEO directly.
Musk’s words led to a massive response on X. Spaces Host Tara Bull posted a list of all the companies allegedly trying to “blackmail Elon Musk.”
She then asked, “Is it time to boycott them?”
Gen. Mike Flynn, who was the U.S. national security advisor during President Donald Trump’s term in office, wrote, “This is a very real and honest response by @elonmusk to what can only be described as extortion by the woke corporate world.”
Retired Harvard professor Daniel F. Baranowski stated, “I hope that you stand 100% with @elonmusk on this issue and every issue concerning free speech!”
“Elon is an American hero!” he added.
Brenden Dilly, host of the Dilley Show, called Musk’s decision to tell “the entire globalist establishment and liberal elites” off “absolutely glorious.”
“If@elonmusk continues to walk this path, he’s going to save freedom of speech and, in turn, save the world,” he concluded.