Twitter CEO Elon Musk responded to the news of Tucker Carlson‘s plans for a new show on his social media platform, saying he hopes this encourages more content creators, “particularly from the left,” to join Twitter.
Carlson, the right-wing firebrand who served as the longtime host of Tucker Carlson Tonight, was fired by Fox News last month, shocking conservatives. While his highly rated show bolstered his profile among the right, he faced mounting backlash, with critics accusing him of spreading misinformation on a number of issues, including the 2020 presidential election and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The divisive host says he won’t be off the air for long, as he revealed plans on Tuesday to relaunch his show on Twitter, which he praised as being one of the only media platforms to allow free speech in a video announcing his new show.
“Twitter has long served as a place where our national conversation incubates and develops. Twitter is not a partisan site. Everyone is allowed here,” Carlson said.
Newsweek has reached out via Twitter and email to representatives for Musk and Carlson.
Details about Carlson’s planned Twitter show, including the launch date, are unclear, though he said he would be providing updates in the near future.
Musk, who purchased Twitter in October in a $44 billion takeover, vowed to restore “free speech” on one of the world’s biggest social media platforms. In the following months, the new owner confronted a slew of setbacks, including several companies ending advertising deals, and credibility issues after numerous complaints of impersonation accounts after allowing users to buy its blue verification checkmark.
While responding to the Carlson announcement, Musk said he wanted to be clear that Twitter and the host have not signed a deal, adding that the outspoken media personality is subject to the same rules as all content creators.
“On this platform, unlike the one-way street of broadcast, people are able to interact, critique and refute whatever is said,” Musk said in a Twitter response to Carlson’s video. “I hope that many others, particularly from the left, also choose to be content creators on this platform.”
On this platform, unlike the one-way street of broadcast, people are able to interact, critique and refute whatever is said.
And, of course, anything misleading will get @CommunityNotes.
I also want to be clear that we have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is… https://t.co/0TMjuYnKUp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023
Despite support for Carlson’s new endeavor, not all were enthused. Many Twitter users slammed Musk, including journalist Aaron Rupar, who said in a tweet that the billionaire is turning the social media platform into a “misinformation machine.”
“For the second time today I feel compelled to point out that Elon Musk is turning Twitter into a right-wing misinformation machine,” Rupar said.
for the second time today I feel compelled to point out that Elon Musk is turning Twitter into a right-wing misinformation machine https://t.co/mnRMhOrBtK
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 9, 2023
Another Twitter user mocked the news by sharing a video of clips of Musk and Carlson laughing, with the caption: “Tucker and Elon’s contract negotiation video leaked!”
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