Elon Musk defends diversity and free speech

Tesla CEO tells Don Lemon individuals should be judged based on their skills and integrity

Elon Musk defended his views on diversity and free speech in a tense interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon. The Tesla CEO expressed irritation with Lemon’s questioning during the hour-long video interview, published on Monday.

When asked about his use of ketamine, Musk responded, “It’s pretty private to ask somebody about a medical prescription.” He explained that he took the drug to address “a negative chemical state in my brain, like depression.”

Regarding potential abuse of ketamine, commonly used as an anaesthetic, Musk stated, “I don’t think so. If you use too much ketamine you can’t really get work done. I have a lot of work.”

Musk, who terminated a deal between his X platform and Lemon after the interview was recorded earlier this month, faced questions about his criticism of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This included his endorsement of a thread on X by Ben Shapiro, a conservative commentator, which argued that DEI efforts were jeopardizing medical patients.

Lemon informed Musk that there was “no evidence” indicating that DEI initiatives were reducing standards in medical practice. In response, Musk stated that the reaction of X users to the interview would assist them in “making their own decision” on the matter.

When questioned about his stance on DEI, Musk replied, “I think we should … treat people according to their skills and integrity.”

Musk also defended X’s content moderation policies after Lemon pointed out the presence of antisemitic and racist posts that remained on the platform, which the Tesla CEO acquired in 2022.

When questioned about the presence of these posts, Musk explained that they were not illegal and remarked, “So, Don, you’re in favor of censorship, is that what you’re saying?” Lemon countered that he believed in moderation, to which Musk responded, “Moderation is just a euphemism for censorship.”

Musk stated that illegal posts would be removed, but if they did not violate the law, they would not be censored.

Musk expressed his frustration with Lemon on several occasions. When asked if he was upset, Musk responded, “You are upsetting me because the way you’re phrasing questions… is not cogent.”

He disclosed that the next Tesla Roadster model would be a collaboration with his SpaceX business and “would incorporate some rocket technology.”

“I think the only way to do something that’s cooler than the Cybertruck is to combine SpaceX and Tesla technology to create something that’s not even really a car,” Musk added. When asked if it was a flying car, Musk replied, “Maybe.”

Musk also confirmed a recent meeting with Donald Trump but stated that he had not contributed to his campaign. He mentioned he was “leaning away” from supporting Joe Biden and when asked if he would endorse a presidential candidate, he said, “I may endorse a candidate in the final stretch, but I don’t know yet.”