Elon Musk tells defecting advertisers to 'go … yourself' as antisemitism row deepens

Elon Musk, in a candid and expletive-laden interview, came down filthy hard on the advertisers who left his social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), over accusations of antisemitic content.

Musk, who expressed remorse for a previous tweet endorsing an anti-Jewish post, firmly rebuffed departing advertisers, stating, "If somebody's gonna try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money? Go f*** yourself."

The controversy stemmed from Musk's agreement with a user falsely claiming Jewish people were fostering hatred against white individuals. Musk acknowledged that his post, referencing the "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, was possibly the worst he had made in a history of sometimes "foolish" messages. 

The situation has put pressure on X overall, with Chief Executive Linda Yaccarino addressing Musk's apology and the platform's stance on advertising.

In her response, Yaccarino highlighted Musk's apology and presented X as a space at the intersection of Free Speech and Main Street, emphasising the community's power and openness. Musk, undeterred by accusations of antisemitism, asserted that advertisers should not attempt to manipulate him with financial threats, delivering a clear and unapologetic message.

The headlines capture Musk's unfiltered response to departing advertisers, signalling a potentially impactful moment for brands associated with X and shedding light on the broader challenges faced by the platform.