The tech world witnessed a clash of titans when billionaire entrepreneurs Mark Cuban and Elon Musk found themselves at odds over a controversial interview conducted by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The interview, which focused on World War II and Winston Churchill, sparked a strong reaction from Cuban after Musk endorsed it as “worth watching.”
The controversy ignited when Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, took to X (formerly Twitter) to endorse an interview featuring Carlson and Darryl Cooper, host of The MartyrMade Podcast. Musk wrote, “Very interesting. Worth watching,” drawing attention to the interview. Carlson had introduced Cooper as possibly “the best and most honest popular historian in the United States,” noting that Cooper’s latest project delves into what Carlson termed “the most forbidden of all: trying to understand World War Two.”
Cuban, entrepreneur and part-owner of the Dallas Mavericks, responded to Musk’s endorsement with a simple yet pointed message: “Delete your account.” This response highlighted the tension between the two billionaires and the stark difference in their opinions on the interview’s content.
The interview between Carlson and Cooper covered a wide range of controversial topics. They discussed the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict and delved into World War II, including an assessment of former U.K. Prime Minister Churchill. The conversation also touched on how history is rewritten and propagandized, a topic that often generates intense debate in academic and political circles.
Furthermore, Carlson and Cooper explored contemporary issues such as mass immigration in Europe and the Civil Rights Movement, drawing parallels to the Black Lives Matter movement. They also shared their views on several prominent political figures, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The public feud between Cuban and Musk adds another layer to their existing friction. In August, Musk sent Carlson a Tesla Cybertruck to review, which Carlson used for stunts, including shooting at the vehicle. Recently, Cuban raised concerns about a discrepancy in a poll on X, suggesting Musk could influence the platform’s algorithm. Musk responded to Cuban’s poll debacle with a comment on the “tenacity of his stupidity,” further escalating their public feud.
Despite the criticism, Cuban continues to post on X, stating he values the platform for its diversity of opinions. However, the exchange between the two billionaires highlights the growing influence of social media platforms in shaping public discourse and the potential for these platforms to become battlegrounds for opposing viewpoints.
