In a recent series of posts on social media, entrepreneur Elon Musk expressed his strong disapproval of Disney boss Bob Iger and called for his immediate termination. Musk claimed that Walt Disney would be deeply disappointed in what Iger has done to the company. This comes shortly after Musk lashed out at companies that joined an advertising boycott of his platform, formerly known as Twitter, telling them to “Go [expletive] yourself.” Some firms halted their advertising on Musk’s platform due to concerns over antisemitism. In response to Musk’s criticism, Disney offered no immediate comment when approached by the BBC.
Bob Iger, who unexpectedly returned to Disney just over a year ago after retiring, has been navigating the company through challenging times as its share price plummeted and its streaming service Disney+ struggled to generate profit. During his tenure, Iger has been praised for spearheading major acquisitions, including Pixar, Marvel, 21st Century Fox, and Lucasfilm. These acquisitions, along with the opening of new amusement parks, have contributed to a five-fold increase in Disney’s market value.
Elon Musk’s recent remarks seem to reference the underwhelming box-office performances of some Disney productions, suggesting that Iger has made significant missteps. Moreover, Musk accused Disney of advertising on social media platforms that tolerate controversial content. Last week, during an event in New York, Musk launched into a profanity-laden tirade against advertisers who had abandoned his platform, warning that they would ultimately destroy it. He specifically called out Disney, Apple, and Comcast for attempting to blackmail him by pausing their advertising on the site.
Musk’s comments at the event were directed at Bob Iger, who had spoken earlier that day at the summit they both attended. X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino, who was also present, reposted Musk’s interview and expressed her views on advertising. She claimed that X represents a remarkable intersection of Free Speech and Main Street, emphasizing the platform’s willingness to welcome advertisers.
Elon Musk’s visit to Israel followed a controversy in which he seemingly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Although he denied that his post was antisemitic, he apologized, acknowledging that it may have been the “dumbest” thing he had ever shared online. Nevertheless, this incident had already prompted many advertisers to spend their budgets elsewhere. In July, Musk revealed that ad revenue on X had dropped by 50 percent.
The clash between Elon Musk and Disney’s Bob Iger raises questions about the future of X. Could Musk’s aggressive stance against advertisers and ongoing controversies lead to the platform’s bankruptcy? Additionally, the cybertruck’s disastrous start and Musk’s visit to Israel in the aftermath of the antisemitism row further contribute to the intense scrutiny surrounding Musk and his companies.
Elon Musk criticizes Disney chief Bob Iger and calls for his removal
