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Elon Musk's foul-mouthed rant against his opponents and Disney has Internet applauding

The SpaceX CEO faced a barrage of questions from host Andrew Ross Sorkin regarding the aftermath of a controversial tweet he posted on November 15

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Elon Musk caused a stir after he took center stage at The New York Times' DealBook summit, where he faced a barrage of questions from host Andrew Ross Sorkin regarding the aftermath of a controversial tweet he posted on November 15.

As Sorkin pressed Musk on the decision of Disney CEO Bob Iger to pull advertising from X, Musk's response was unequivocal, "Don't advertise. If someone is going to try and blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f--- yourself."

Elon Musk says 'Don't advertise' to Disney

This left the host visibly baffled, prompting him to seek clarification, "You don't want them to advertise?" Musk responded with a blunt "Don't advertise," sending shockwaves through the audience.

The advertising exodus wasn't limited to Disney; major corporations such as Apple, Paramount, Airbnb, and Uber also joined the boycott, a move projected to cost X a staggering $75 million.

Musk admitted that the advertising boycott had the potential to "kill the company." In a bold proclamation, he declared, "And the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company."

Seated in the front row during this tumultuous exchange was X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, appointed by Musk in June. Reports from The Hollywood Reporter described her demeanor as "stone-faced" while Musk vehemently defended his position.

Amidst the chaos, Musk addressed his critics, stating, "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 apologizes while reflecting on past tweets

Acknowledging his past missteps, Musk apologized for his seeming support of antisemitism. The controversy arose from Musk's response to a user on X who criticized a Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism campaign video.

The X user appeared to dismiss the clip, writing, "Jewish communities have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them. I'm deeply disinterested in giving the tiniest s--- now about Western Jewish populations coming to the disturbing realization that those hordes of minorities that support flooding their country don't exactly like them too much. You want truth said to your face, there it is."

Musk, with his massive following of 163 million, had replied, "You have said the actual truth."

On Wednesday, he admitted, "I should in retrospect not have replied to that particular post."

Musk also spoke of his recent visit to Israel, emphasizing that it was not an "apology tour."

He expressed frustration that the media had largely ignored his attempts to clarify his controversial post. Musk defended his position, stating, "Essentially I handed a loaded gun to the people who hate me."

The summit delved into Musk's history of controversial remarks, particularly regarding Jewish people. Notably, he had toyed with dog-whistle rhetoric about George Soros, who sold his Tesla stock in May.

As Musk faced backlash from groups like the Anti-Defamation League and Israel's Foreign Ministry, he remained defiant, accusing them of ignoring the nuances of his statements.

Musk asserted, "What I was saying was that it's unwise to support groups that want your annihilation."

Social media applause

Social media erupted with a barrage of reactions, with many praising Musk for his defiance.

"F--- around and find out. They just chose the wrong guy to challenge. They will also find out many of us will stand with Elon," one posted on X.

"You can’t give them one inch. Bravo Elon!" another wrote.

"Unapologetically saying exactly what needs to be said. Bravo," someone else added.

"Musk is a legend. He doesn't back down to anyone, he will stick to his guns no matter what. This is someone I can respect and get behind," a comment read.

"He’s so based !! I love him even more today than yesterday!" another gushed.