Musk's post criticized as a "disgusting promotion of antisemitism". White House responds
"We condemn this disgusting promotion of antisemitism and racial hatred. It is unacceptable to perpetuate the lies behind the most destructive act of antisemitism in American history," said White House Deputy Spokesperson Andrew Bates on Friday. He was commenting on a post made by billionaire Elon Musk, where Musk is alleged to have suggested that Jews "promote racial hatred against whites" and contribute to mass immigration.
6:19 AM EST, November 18, 2023
"We wholeheartedly condemn this promotion of antisemitism and racial hatred," Bates wrote on platform X (previously known as Twitter).
The White House was responding to a recent post by Elon Musk. Musk supported a netizen's claim that Jews encourage "hatred against whites" and suggested they were contributing to the influx of minority ethnic groups into the country. The netizen also mentioned his lack of concern towards antisemitic hatred. This was in response to a call from another user who urged those who believe "Hitler was right" to express this openly and not hide behind anonymous accounts.
"You've spoken the truth," Musk wrote in response to the user's post. He later noted that not all Jewish communities promote "racism against whites and Asians", but indicated that groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) do.
The White House claims that Musk's remarks echo the conspiracy theory that Jewish groups import ethnic minorities into the country. This theory was central to the manifesto of terrorist Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people in a synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018.
"It's reprehensible to repeat the ugly fallacy behind the deadliest act of antisemitism in American history at any time, especially so soon after the most fatal day for Jews since the Holocaust," Bates stated.
IBM pauses advertising campaign on Platform X
IBM announced on Thursday that it was suspending its million-dollar advertising campaign on the platform. This decision was made after reports revealed the company's ads, along with those of Apple and Oracle, had appeared next to posts glorifying Adolf Hitler.
A collective of over 160 Jewish activists and rabbis, asserting that the South African businessman "propagates a form of antisemitism leading to massacres," called for a boycott of Musk's platform in an open letter on Thursday.
In response to the controversy, Linda Yaccarino, the director of the portal, emphasized the company's rigorous efforts to fight against antisemitism and discrimination. "There is no place for this anywhere in the world - it's hideous and unfair. Period," she added.
