The Biden administration strongly criticized Elon Musk, accusing him of perpetuating a "disturbing falsehood" regarding Jewish people and aligning himself with far-right ideologies that endorse antisemitism.
Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory, labeling it as the "actual truth," drew condemnation from the White House. This conspiracy theory was linked to the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, which claimed 11 lives.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates expressed unequivocal disapproval, stating that Musk's support for such content is "unacceptable" and decried the propagation of antisemitic and racist hate.
Bates emphasized the inappropriateness of revisiting the false narrative behind one of the deadliest antisemitic acts in American history, especially in the aftermath of a tragic month for the Jewish community.
CEO Linda Yaccarino of X responded, reiterating the company's steadfast stance against discrimination. Yaccarino emphasized X's commitment to combating antisemitism and discrimination globally, asserting that there is no room for such ideologies anywhere.
Recently, Media Matters reported Musk's descent into white nationalist and antisemitic conspiracy theories on his social media platform, raising concerns about major brands having their ads placed alongside content supporting Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. As a result, prominent companies like Apple, IBM, Disney, Warner Bros, Discovery, Paramount, Comcast/NBCUniversal, and others reportedly halted or withdrew their advertisements on X.
In response, Musk announced X's intention to file a "thermonuclear lawsuit" against Media Matters and those involved in what he deemed a "fraudulent attack" on the company. The controversy underscores the delicate balance between freedom of expression and the responsibility of social media platforms to prevent the spread of harmful ideologies.
(With agency inputs)
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