Zinger Key Points
- Bill Ackman supports Elon Musk following backlash over his agreement with a controversial social media post.
- Major advertisers withdrew from Musk's platform after his contentious remarks, sparking widespread criticism.
- Get New Picks of the Market's Top Stocks
In the wake of a social media controversy involving X owner Elon Musk, Bill Ackman, a prominent hedge fund manager and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, has come forward to defend him.
What Happened: Musk's support for an antisemitic post on X on Wednesday has led to significant fallout, including the withdrawal of major advertisers from the platform.
The controversy erupted after Musk concurred with a post that accused Jewish people of harboring hatred toward white people.
Musk's comment, in which he said, "You have said the actual truth," sparked widespread criticism, including from the White House and Tesla shareholders.
In a post on X on Saturday, however, Ackman said Musk is not an antisemite and agreed with conservative political pundit Ben Shapiro's "assessment of the situation."
.@elonmusk is not an antisemite. I agree with @benshapiro’s assessment of the situation.
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) November 18, 2023
It is remarkable how quickly the world stands ready to attack Musk for his shoot from the hip commentary.
Musk is not perfect, but the world is a vastly better place because of him. https://t.co/YXcLGmugwX
Earlier in October, the hedge fund manager expressed interest in engaging with X Corp., contemplating a potential deal within a new investment initiative focused on private companies aiming to raise $1.5 billion or more, potentially facilitating their public debut, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Additionally, Ackman has supported the social media platform by making a $10 million investment through his firm's foundation.
Known for his active presence on social media, he has been outspoken in urging his alma mater, Harvard, to address issues related to antisemitism.
Now Read: Elon Musk Reportedly Did Something Unusual After Making An Offer To Buy Twitter
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.