Elon Musk, tech mogul and CEO of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), is once again at the center of controversy following a series of comments from host Jimmy Kimmel. On his late-night show, Kimmel ironically mocked Musk, mocking the recent controversy accusing the entrepreneur of allowing hate speech on his platform and having links to Nazi symbols. Musk, however, promptly responded with a three-word response that further fueled the debate on social media.
Jimmy Kimmel, known for his sarcastic style, dedicated part of his monologue to Musk and the recent chaos at Tesla. The host suggested that the entrepreneur was losing control of his company and that his advocacy for free speech about X had crossed the line into tolerance for online hate.
“It’s funny how someone so smart can make such questionable decisions. Between Tesla, SpaceX, and his social media, Musk seems more interested in lighting fires than putting them out,” Kimmel laughed, drawing applause from his show’s audience.
Kimmel also used the opportunity to indirectly refer to the controversy surrounding the Nazi salute on X, suggesting that Musk had enabled the creation of a toxic atmosphere on the platform.
Far from remaining silent, Elon Musk used his platform X to respond to Kimmel. In his typical style, the billionaire simply tweeted: “Keep crying, Jimmy .”
The reaction was immediate, triggering thousands of responses within minutes. His supporters celebrated the response as a demonstration of his resistance, while his critics saw it as a way to evade the fierce criticism his company and the Platform X leadership are facing.
The exchange between Musk and Kimmel sparked a wave of reactions on social media. While some users defended the entrepreneur, arguing that the press and traditional media constantly attack him, others considered his reaction childish and inappropriate for someone with his influence.
“Musk doesn’t have to explain himself to anyone. The people complaining are the same people calling for internet censorship,” wrote one user on X.
Another prominent comment read: “Is this how a billionaire CEO reacts to justified criticism? It just shows he can’t handle public criticism.”
The move comes at a difficult time for Musk. Tesla is struggling with market declines due to production issues and growing competition in the electric vehicle space. Tesla X also continues to lose advertisers as concerns about the spread of extremist content on the platform impact profitability.
In this situation, Musk’s social media behavior remains a key factor in the public perception of his companies. Unlike other technology leaders, the Tesla CEO doesn’t hesitate to respond directly to his critics, although his responses often generate more controversy than clarity.
This isn’t Musk’s first clash with celebrities. He has previously publicly clashed with other Hollywood hosts and actors, defending his stance on “freedom of speech” against what he sees as unfair censorship by the mainstream media.
However, this conflict with Kimmel appears to be another episode in the growing polarization surrounding Musk. While his supporters see him as a champion of truth and innovation, his critics perceive him as someone who wreaks havoc on the internet without taking personal responsibility.
With his three-word response, Elon Musk makes it clear that he doesn’t intend to soften his communication style. But will this strategy be effective in the long run or damage their companies’ image? Time will tell.
