Kara Swisher Argues Linda Yaccarino Didn’t Leave X Over Grok’s ‘MechaHitler Controversy’
Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
Veteran tech journalist and podcast host, Kara Swisher, quickly weighed in on the news that X CEO Linda Yaccarino was leaving the company, a day after X’s AI bot Grok stunned the public with anti-semitic, violent, and just all around shocking content.
“After two incredible years, I’ve decided to step down as CEO of 𝕏,” wrote Yaccarino on the platform Wednesday morning, adding:
When @elonmusk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company. I’m immensely grateful to him for entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App.
X owner Elon Musk replied simply, “Thank you for your contributions.”
Many were quick to suggest that Yaccarino jumped ship following Grok’s wild day of posting anti-semitic tropes and promoting rape fantasies. X released a statement on Tuesday, saying it is working to “quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved.”
Swisher, however, argued that Grok was not the reason Yaccarino was leaving X, which she and her Pivot podcast co-host Scott Galloway had predicted previously. “The MechaHitler controversy was not it btw — I’d guess she sided with Trump over Musk. Also, without the Trump card, it was likely going to be hard to shake down advertisers with the threat of lawsuits. And finally, Threads is close to being as big as X, along with competitors like Bluesky,” Swisher explained.
The Wall Street Journal reported in June that X’s lawsuit against major companies that refuse to advertise on X was beginning to pay dividends. “It worked. Verizon, which hadn’t advertised on X since 2022, pledged to spend at least $10 million this year on the platform, a person familiar with the matter said,” reported the Journal, adding that “Fashion company Ralph Lauren also agreed to resume buying ads on X after receiving a lawsuit threat, people familiar with the matter said. All told, at least six companies that had either received lawsuit threats or were motivated in part by pressure tactics have struck ad deals with X, according to people familiar with the negotiations.”
Musk has broken with President Donald Trump in recent weeks in a very public spat over the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk, who spent some $250 million to help reelect Trump in 2024, has since started a third party and accused Trump of being in the “Epstein Files” — likely cementing their split.
