Musk defends himself on X after antisemitic outrage deepens

(Bloomberg) — Elon Musk hit back at “fake” media reports he accused of anti-Semitism, issuing his strongest response even after endorsing antisemitic content in a post on X that sparked outrage and alienated advertisers such as Apple Inc.

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Last week, billionaire Tesla Inc. The backlash erupted after the leader and the X-owner agreed on a post that said Jewish people have an “allegorical hatred” of white people. That news drew criticism from the White House and many Tesla investors. Walt Disney Co. Twitter is one of the big corporate names that have distanced themselves from the platform formerly known as Twitter.

On Sunday, the entrepreneur tweeted, wishing “only the best for humanity.” Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was among those who jumped to Musk’s defense. X Corp is part of a new investment vehicle targeting private companies raising $1.5 billion or more, according to the Wall Street Journal. The financier said last month it was interested in pursuing a deal with

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

Several advertising executives have privately urged X CEO Linda Yaccarino to resign to save her reputation, the Financial Times reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. But he refused to leave, saying he believed in the company’s work, the FT reported.

Also Read: Bill Ackman Defends Musk After Antisemitism Backlash at X

–With assistance from Dana Hull.

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(Updates with advertiser pressure on CEO in fifth column)

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