Key facts
- Elon Musk called filmmaker Alex Gibney a "bitter old man" with "zero integrity."
Elon Musk launched an angry tirade against filmmaker Alex Gibney, calling him a "bitter old man" with "zero integrity" over a new documentary about the tech mogul's life. Musk, who bought X (formerly Twitter) for $44 billion, dismissed the four-hour film as a "hit piece" and a "psy op."
The public dispute highlights the ongoing scrutiny of Elon Musk's business dealings and public persona, and his aggressive responses to criticism, which can influence public discourse and the perception of his ventures.
Elon Musk has publicly attacked filmmaker Alex Gibney, the director of a new four-hour documentary about Musk's life and influence. Musk, who purchased X (formerly Twitter) for $44 billion in 2022, labeled Gibney a "bitter old man" with "zero integrity" in a series of posts on the social media platform.
Musk dismissed the documentary as a "hit piece that misses" and criticized its length as "boring af." He also appeared to endorse a conspiracy theory by reposting an image that depicted a hierarchy of control involving the Democratic party, George Soros, Gibney, and Hollywood. Musk responded to the image with "Accurate" and called the film a "psy op," or psychological operation.
Gibney, known for films on Enron and WikiLeaks, premiered his Musk documentary at the Venice film festival this week, stating he believes Musk is "extremely dangerous." Gibney suggested that Musk's behavior might be a result of a difficult and traumatic childhood.
Musk also specifically denied a claim made by his ex-partner, Ashley St Clair, that he had offered her $40 million to sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding their time together, stating she "has a history of making false claims."
Musk amplified a post by podcaster Katie Miller, who criticized the documentary for allegedly not including Musk's acquaintances and allies, calling it a "fictional movie" and a "hit job."