News of Tesla CEO Elon Musk acquiring a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter has fired up the social media platform’s users in a special way today.
And the takes are, indeed, hot as right-wingers and Musk-devotees see the development as a sign their free speech savior has come to rescue the platform and seek vengeance for Donald Trump’s booting.
Musk’s appointment to Twitter’s board of director was confirmed by CEO Parag Agrawal in tweets posted Tuesday morning. Agrawal praised Musk as “both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service” who would “bring great value to our Board.”
News of Musk’s appointment first broke in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released Monday. According to the filing, Musk purchased his stake on March 14. Musk’s new stake in Twitter makes him the platform’s largest shareholder.
Shortly after joining Twitter’s board, Musk vowed “significant” changes on the platform.
As one of Twitter’s highest profile users, Musk has publicly voiced his complaints about free speech on the platform — which has landed him in a yearslong feud with the SEC. In 2018, the SEC sued Musk for tweeting that he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private.
But Musk seems unfazed, remaining a chronic tweeter in the years since the legal challenge. Prior to news of his stake in Twitter, Musk leaned into his gripes about the platform’s adherence to free speech in a poll posted late last month.
Here’s how Twitter users ignited a firestorm over Musk’s appointment:
