At the annual New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday, the presence of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk was palpable throughout the day. From his unorthodox leather jacket attire to his pugnacious rhetoric, Musk stood out among the typically conservative and calculated speakers at the event.
During his interview with moderator Andrew Ross Sorkin, Musk boasted about the release of the Tesla Cybertruck, claiming it will be the biggest launch on Earth this year. He also grew reflective about his childhood and what drives him to success. However, he did not shy away from controversial topics, crudely dismissing those who have tried to influence his running of Twitter by pulling ads.
When asked about his recent anti-Semitic social media postings, Musk apologized for emboldening anti-Semites and acknowledged that it may have been the most foolish of the thousands of social media posts he has made over the years. He also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and families of victims of a recent terrorist attack, addressing concerns of his Twitter platform being used to promote anti-Semitism. Herzog praised Musk for his overture and urged him to use his influence to combat anti-Semitism.
The controversy surrounding Musk’s social media postings has also caused some companies to pull their advertising from Twitter. At the summit, Disney CEO Bob Iger explained the decision to stop advertising on the platform, stating that while he respects Musk’s accomplishments, his name and voice were “very much tied” to his companies.
Musk, who is known for his unapologetic attitude and tendency to speak his mind, was unapologetic about losing advertisers. He called their actions a form of blackmail and responded defiantly, “Go f— yourself.”
Despite being publicly rebuked by the White House for promoting hate speech, Vice President Kamala Harris declined to comment on Musk’s recent controversies, stating that she was there to discuss issues, not individuals.
Among the other notable speakers at the summit were JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who joked that his company’s lawsuit against Tesla for $162 million was a “small lawsuit,” and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who praised Musk as a “brilliant human being making unbelievable contributions to mankind” but acknowledged his “pluses and minuses.”
In addition to his businesses, Musk’s influence extends to the worlds of politics, finance, media, foreign policy, and entertainment, as was evident by his presence in the conversation throughout the summit. His philosophy of “curiosity” and desire for humans to become a “multi-planet species” were also discussed.
The DealBook conference, which features some of the most influential people in the world, also included appearances by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, TV showrunner Shonda Rhimes, and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. Musk’s interview with Sorkin was a fitting end to a day filled with thought-provoking discussions about important issues facing our world.
