5 key moments from Elon Musk’s interview with Don Lemon

“I problem you, Elon, to look at the entire interview and inform the world why this isn’t what you declare you need on X,” Lemon stated earlier than introducing the interview, which was posted Monday on X and YouTube.

X, the social media platform Musk took over in 2022, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from The Washington Submit. However in a submit on the platform final week, the corporate’s company account confirmed that it ended the take care of Lemon.

“Like several enterprise, we reserve the best to make choices about our enterprise partnerships, and after cautious consideration, X determined to not enter right into a business partnership with the present,” the corporate stated. In his personal submit, Musk criticized Lemon’s present, which he stated “was principally simply ‘CNN, however on social media,’ which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the truth that CNN is dying.”

Listed here are 5 takeaways from Lemon’s dialog with Musk.

Musk resists duty for hate speech on X

Lemon repeatedly requested Musk whether or not he bears duty for the unfold of hate speech or different harmful content material on X, however the tech magnate was dismissive. When Lemon introduced up cases of racist and antisemitic content material on the platform, Musk argued such posts didn’t violate X’s requirements.

“I believe we now have a duty to stick to the legislation,” Musk stated, including that if a submit is against the law, “we’re going to take it down.” To take away posts that didn’t break the legislation would imply “we’re placing our thumb on the size or being censors,” he argued.

When Lemon questioned whether or not X has turn into a breeding floor for conservative conspiracy theories, Musk responded that “previous Twitter was essentially a instrument of the far left.” However when it got here to questions on his personal posts — which have just lately tilted to the best — Musk stated that he typically reposts issues he doesn’t totally agree with however thinks “that folks ought to contemplate.”

Musk experiences depressive episodes

Requested about his drug use, Musk acknowledged that he has a prescription for the dissociative anesthetic ketamine to “deal with a destructive chemical state in my mind, like melancholy” that impacts him intermittently.

Musk denied abusing the drug, saying it doesn’t have an effect on what he decides to submit on his social media platform, which has repeatedly landed the billionaire and his corporations in scorching water. He stated he takes “a small quantity as soon as each different week, or one thing like that.”

“In the event you use an excessive amount of ketamine, you’ll be able to’t actually get work achieved,” Musk stated. “I’ve quite a lot of work.”

Musk’s alleged drug use has been some extent of concern for buyers, however within the interview, he recommended it’s been helpful to the corporate’s backside line.

“From a standpoint of Wall Road, what issues is execution,” Musk stated, including that “for buyers’ standpoint, if there’s something I’m taking, I ought to hold taking it.”

Musk described his assembly with Donald Trump

When Lemon requested about Musk’s just lately reported encounter with Donald Trump, Musk stated that it occurred by likelihood whereas he was having breakfast at buddy’s house in Florida. (The New York Instances reported that rich Republican donors have been amongst different attendees.) When Lemon pressed for particulars about what was mentioned, Musk appeared flustered and waited just a few moments to reply. “Let’s simply say, he did a lot of the speaking,” Musk stated.

He declined to specify what they spoke about, besides to disclaim that Trump requested him to contribute to his presidential marketing campaign or to assist pay his authorized payments. Musk stated that he doesn’t plan to donate to any candidate’s marketing campaign.

“I don’t need to put a thumb on the size monetarily,” Musk stated.

Musk didn’t rule out the opportunity of endorsing a presidential candidate, including that he’s “leaning away from Biden.”

America must ‘transfer on’ from racism, Musk says

In response to questions on his resistance to variety, fairness and inclusion insurance policies (which Musk has decried as racist), Musk argued that the nation ought to “transfer on” and never make racism “a continuing topic.”

Of late, Musk has been retweeting posts that promote misinformation in regards to the intelligence of racial minorities, Mom Jones has reported. He’s additionally been posting ceaselessly in regards to the Biden administration’s immigration polices, repeatedly claiming Democrats need to maximize the variety of undocumented immigrants within the nation to assist win the election.

“We’re all descended from slaves,” Musk stated throughout the interview with Lemon.

“Effectively, not everybody was a slave,” Lemon corrected, including that it was “insulting” for Musk recommend that individuals who skilled racism or discrimination ought to “simply transfer ahead and ignore the previous.”

Musk rejects the concept the ‘buck stops’ with him

Probably the most tense alternate within the interview arose when Lemon introduced up Musk’s earlier assertion that X advertisers might “kill” the platform with a boycott. (A number of advertisers left the platform over issues their adverts have been showing alongside antisemitic content material and different hate speech.)

When Lemon recommended that the businesses’ suspension of their promoting was a type of free speech, and that Musk would possibly bear duty if X fails, he grew annoyed.

“You stated, ‘In the event that they kill the corporate, it’s them,’ however doesn’t the buck cease with you?” Lemon requested.

“Don, I’ve to say, select your questions fastidiously,” he responded. “There’s 5 minutes left.”