Dogfather Elon Musk, the public icon of DOGE, has yet to encounter a tough interrogation.
In a shift since 2023, Elon Musk's media rounds have become more selective and cooperative, veering away from challenging interviews.
After purchasing Twitter and renaming it X, Musk embarked on a media tour, expressing interest in appearing across the political spectrum. However, lately, Musk prefers interviews with interviewers who gush over his achievements and steer clear of tough questions about his government work.
Post-administration under President Donald Trump, Musk has made five appearances on Fox News, conversed with Joe Rogan and Sen. Ted Cruz on fawning podcasts, and engaged with friendly foreign political groups such as Italy's right-wing Lega party. He's even joined live X Spaces discussions to champion candidates or causes he supports.
Despite occasionally engaging with the White House press pool, Musk's last tough interview was in March 2024 with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who pressed Musk about X's rightward shift, conspiracy theories, and controversial statements on diversity and transgender people. Musk didn't take kindly to Lemon's probing and promptly nixed a deal for a new show on X.
"I've interviewed world leaders, presidents, and convicts, but Elon Musk is the most sensitive and touchy of them all," Lemon stated to People last year. "He's not used to being held accountable. He's not used to answering to anyone, especially someone like me who doesn't share his worldview, who doesn't look like him."
Musk's contentious media relationships go back years, dating back to a BBC interview in April 2023, where Musk admitted to a "love/hate" relationship with the media, skewing heavily towards "hate." Musk is known to cut the communications departments at his ventures, leaving journalists with the cryptic "poop" emoji as a response.
With such a tumultuous past, stories about Musk almost always acknowledge that neither Musk nor his representatives respond to requests for comment. It remains unclear who manages Musk's media presence—whether it's the White House, his personal staff, or Musk himself. When Lemon questioned Musk about this matter during their interview, Musk replied defensively, stating, "I don't have to answer questions from the reporters, Don. The only reason I'm doing this interview is because you're on the X platform and you asked for it. Otherwise, I would not do this interview."
Media experts attribute Musk's selective interview strategy to strategic communication control, reputation management, and navigating the complex political and business landscapes he operates within [1][3][4]. Careful media training and preparedness are crucial for high-profile figures like Musk to handle such interviews successfully, guarding against unpredictable questioning and saving face under scrutiny [3].
- Post-2023, Elon Musk's media appearances have showcased a more selective and cooperative approach, moving away from challenging interviews.
- Following his purchase of Twitter and its rebranding as X, Musk has expressed interest in showcasing across the political spectrum, including conventional and foreign media.
- Lately, Musk has demonstrated a preference for interviews with interviewers who laud his accomplishments and avoid hard-hitting questions about his involvement in government affairs.
- In 2024, Musk's last tough interview was with Don Lemon, where he was questioned about X's political shifts, conspiracy theories, and controversial statements, leading to the termination of potential further collaboration between Lemon and X.
- Media experts contend that Musk's selective interview strategy is a result of strategic communication management, reputation enhancement, and navigating intricate political and business terrains.
- Adept media training and preparation are vital for high-profile figures like Musk to manage interviews effectively and cope with unforeseen questioning, preserving their image under scrutiny.
