In a wide-ranging interview with Joe Rogan, Elon Musk defended his contentious Twitter acquisition, now known as X. He presented the purchase not as a financial choice, but as a critical action to defend free expression and American democracy itself.
Musk voiced great worry about pre-acquisition censorship on the site, citing the removal of Donald Trump as a turning point. He challenged the narrative around the former president’s tweets, saying, “He was posting things…like ‘Hey, we do not riot…please stay tranquil.’ What’s wrong with that?” He likewise disputed the notion that President Donald Trump’s calls for calm were “dog whistles” promoting the reverse, stating that it was nonsensical to ban him for condemning violence.
Musk also criticized mainstream media, which he described as a “mouthpiece for the Democratic Party,” acting as a “one hive mind” rather than separate organizations. He noted the coordinated use of specific terms and a lack of fair reporting as examples. Musk referred to the media’s coverage of the Biden-Trump debate, stating, “Every media organization was saying ‘Biden sharpens his attack,’ which was a huge lie.” He contrasted this with Kamala Harris’s lack of fact-checking on the same platform when she “deliberately repeated the fine people hoax”.
Furthermore, Musk expressed concern about the potential ramifications for X under a Kamala Harris administration, saying that the platform would be “freaking shut down”. He emphasized his worry about politically motivated lawsuits.
Citing the DOJ’s continuing lawsuit against SpaceX for allegedly discriminating against asylum seekers, although hiring non-permanent residents is forbidden owing to the sensitive nature of the company’s technology. He termed this as a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario, implying that government officials “decided SpaceX was a target” and then “figured out what was happening afterward.” This, Musk suggested, highlights the perils of unchecked government power, as well as the necessity of platforms like X for encouraging open dialogue and free expression.