“Twitter is a war zone. If somebody’s going to jump in the war zone, it’s like, okay, you’re in the arena. Let’s go.”
That’s what Elon Musk claimed during a “60 Minutes” interview when asked about his controversial tweets, which resulted in massive fines and a loss of value for his company.
Musk is known for tweeting “dank memes” and reviving the space race, but some of his public statements have left many people perplexed. Here are some of Elon Musk’s most startling and contentious tweets as CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.
Top Controversies By Elon Musk
1. Elon Musk’s Twitter manifesto
My Twitter is pretty much complete nonsense at this point
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2019
Before we go into detail about the SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and Boring Company CEO’s tweets, it’s worth noting that the majority of his tweets are buried beneath a sea of jokes and puns, most of which he publishes himself.
2. Elon Musk wipes $14 billion off Tesla’s value with one tweet
Tesla stock price is too high imo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2020
Musk said on Twitter that the “Tesla stock price is too high.” What’s the end result? As a result of Musk’s tweet, the electric vehicle company’s worth was reduced by $14 billion, and his personal stake in Tesla was reduced by $3 billion.
3. Musk says he’ll sell almost all physical possessions
I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 1, 2020
Musk announced shortly after his Tesla stock price tweet that he will sell practically all of his personal belongings. He then followed up with a tweet claiming that his girlfriend, Grimes, an electronic pop musician, was furious with him.
Though many of Musk’s twitter posts are “tongue in cheek and it’s Elon being Elon,” according to Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives, it appears that he was serious in this case. Musk has begun the process of selling some of his properties.
4. Elon Musk’s highly controversial response to the COVID-19 lockdown
FREE AMERICA NOW
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2020
Musk’s reaction to the coronavirus quarantine has been perplexing to say the least. He tweeted “FREE AMERICA NOW” last week, echoing right-wing anti-lockdown sentiments.
He also incorrectly stated that “by the end of April, there will probably be close to zero new instances in the United States, too,” and criticized CNN for reporting on government authorities stating hospitals had not gotten Tesla factory-made ventilators he had pledged to send.
5. “Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it.”
Musk dubbed British diver Vernon Unsworth, who was a diver in the Thai cave rescue mission to save a group of stranded boys, a paedophile in a now-deleted tweet from 2018. He also indicated he would risk money to back up his claim, according to Business Insider at the time.
What had irritated Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO? Unsworth previously said that Musk’s miniature submarine, which he designed and dispatched to Thailand to assist in the rescue of the youngsters, was nothing more than a PR gimmick because it was unsuccessful. The drama continued after Musk apologised to Unsworth and erased the tweet.
