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As billionaire Elon Musk completes his purchase of social media platform Twitter, some conservatives have rejoiced after he moved to fire the lawyer who barred former President Donald Trump from the company.
The Associated Press reported Friday that after Musk took control of Twitter, he fired CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal as well as Chief Legal Counsel Vijaya Gadde, who made the call in January 2021 to permanently suspend Trump's account for inciting violence in connection with the January 6 Capitol riots.
In an interview with the Financial Times in May, Musk also said he would "reverse the permanent ban" on Trump's Twitter account.
These actions prompt questions about Musk's political affiliation and whether he is a supporter of the former president.
However, Musk has previously suggested that he doesn't believe that Trump should seek another term in the White House. While Trump hasn't formally announced another presidential run, he has strongly hinted that he will launch a 2024 campaign.
"I don't hate the man, but it's time for Trump to hang up his hat [and] sail into the sunset. Dems should also call off the attack—don't make it so that Trump's only way to survive is to regain the Presidency," Musk tweeted in July.
"Do we really want a bull in a china shop situation every single day!? Also, I think the legal maximum age for [the] start of [a] Presidential term should be 69," Musk said in another July tweet.
In June, Musk said that he was leaning towards backing Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 presidential election.
In 2018, Musk said that he isn't a conservative, but a registered independent who is "politically moderate."
"Doesn't mean I'm moderate about all issues. Humanitarian issues are extremely important to me & I don't understand why they are not important to everyone," Musk tweeted in July 2018.
Thanks Jack. To be clear, I am not a conservative. Am registered independent & politically moderate. Doesn’t mean I’m moderate about all issues. Humanitarian issues are extremely important to me & I don’t understand why they are not important to everyone.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2018
In August, he made a similar statement on Twitter, saying he supports "the left half of the Republican Party and the right half of the Democratic Party!"
To be clear, I support the left half of the Republican Party and the right half of the Democratic Party!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 16, 2022
Newsweek has reached out to Musk and Twitter for comment.
In a letter he addressed to advertisers on Thursday detailing why he bought the social media platform, Musk wrote that made the purchase "because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner without resorting to violence."
"There is currently a great danger that social media will splinter into far right wing and far left wing echo chambers that generate more heat and divide our society," he added.
About the writer
Xander Landen is a Newsweek weekend reporter. His focus is often U.S. politics, but he frequently covers other issues including ... Read more