"Threatening Me with Ads? Get Lost, Don't Do It" Musk's Bombshell Statement

Targeting Companies Withdrawing Ads Amid 'Banyudaejuui' Controversy

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who was recently embroiled in a 'anti-Semitism' controversy, criticized advertisers who stopped advertising on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), telling them to "go f- yourselves."

"Threatening with ads? Go f- yourselves"… Musk even mentioned a 'reverse boycott'

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter).
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

On the 29th (local time), appearing at The New York Times (NYT) 'DealBook Summit 2023' event, Musk targeted advertisers such as Apple, Disney, and IBM who halted ads on X following his 'anti-Semitism' controversy, accusing them of 'blackmail' and said, "If they want to blackmail me with ads and money, go f- yourselves. Don’t advertise," unleashing harsh criticism mixed with profanity.

He continued, "The whole world will know that advertisers killed the company, and we will document this in great detail," adding, "I have no problem being hated, so keep hating." He also mentioned that X and his fans would launch a reverse boycott against advertisers who boycotted, directly referencing Disney.

However, foreign media commented, "The banks that lent Musk billions of dollars for the Twitter acquisition probably do not want to hear Musk insulting advertisers who left X," and noted, "Advertising still accounts for most of X’s revenue."

When asked by a host whether Musk’s recent visit to Israel was an 'apology trip' following the anti-Semitism controversy, Musk replied, "It was not an apology trip." He explained that the trip had been planned before the 'anti-Semitism controversy.'

Musk: "The post that seemed to endorse 'anti-Semitism' was the most foolish thing"

On the 29th (local time), Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who attended the 'DealBook Summit 2023' hosted by The New York Times (NYT), criticized advertisers who recently stopped advertising on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) due to Musk's anti-Semitism controversy.
[Photo by CNBC]

Earlier, Musk appeared to endorse a post related to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories left by an X user by replying to it.

Following Musk’s anti-Semitism controversy, many advertisers including Disney and Apple stopped advertising on X, resulting in an expected advertising revenue loss close to 100 billion KRW. The White House also issued a statement criticizing the controversy, and several celebrities such as Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, France, left X.

Regarding this, Musk expressed regret, saying, "This was one of the most foolish things I have done on the platform (X). I handed a loaded gun to those who fundamentally dislike me. If my post incited anti-Semitism, I am truly sorry."

He added, "Over time, it will become clear that I am not an anti-Semite but a philosopher."

Meanwhile, in response to criticism that his problematic remarks, including this controversy, could cause backlash against the X or Tesla brands, Musk retorted, "We make the best cars," and questioned, "Whether you like me, hate me, or are indifferent, do you want the best car or not the best car?"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.