Elon Musk Unfollows Tesla Investor Sawyer Merritt Over Alleged Confidential Information Leak: 'Don't Post … And Expect Me To Follow'

Elon Musk has unfollowed prominent Tesla Inc. TSLA investor Sawyer Merritt on X, formerly Twitter, due to an alleged breach of confidentiality.

What Happened: On Tuesday, a user on X, who goes by the name Brandon Smith on the platform, questioned Musk about this move stating that Merritt often breaks news about Tesla that employees don’t disclose to the tech billionaire.

Musk responded, “Don't post leaks of confidential information and expect me to follow.” 

Don't post leaks of confidential information and expect me to follow

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 30, 2024

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Smith then defended Merritt, stating that if Merritt had received confidential information directly, he wouldn’t have posted it. He also requested Musk to give Merritt another chance. 

If Sawyer was the one who directly received confidential info he wouldn't have posted it. Once the genie leaves the bottle… it's out of the bottle. If you join the spaces he's in regularly, he refrains from posting dubious "news" all the time. I ask you give him another chance.

— Brandon Smith (@BLSmith2112) April 30, 2024

Not just Smith, but many other users on X defended Merritt. On the other hand, some people deduced that Merritt “amplified Elon's leaked email” and allegedly disclosed information about layoff. At the time of writing, Musk still wasn’t following Merritt.

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Benzinga reached out to Merritt and he pointed us toward his explanation on X.

This is what happened: Omar and I posted an article from @theinformation last night that we saw online. It was a public article that referenced an internal Tesla email from Elon Musk to his executives.

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 30, 2024

Why It Matters: Merritt, a well-known Tesla investor, has been in the spotlight for his outspoken support of the company and its CEO. In March 2024, Merritt defended Musk against an op-ed that labeled him a “mediocre white man.”

He also led a petition supported by Tesla, urging the U.S. auto safety regulator to reconsider classifying over-the-air software updates for safety concerns as “recalls.”

Just earlier this week, Merritt humorously mocked a Tesla bear, Gordon Johnson, after the company’s stock surged, signaling validation for Musk’s leadership.

Merritt’s actions have often aligned with Musk’s vision, making this unfollowing incident all the more surprising.

Despite the unfollowing, it’s important to note that this incident does not necessarily indicate a significant rift between Musk and Merritt. However, it does raise questions about the handling of confidential information within the Tesla community.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.