Musk says he won’t pay media “protection money” and points to Tesla’s near-zero ad spend
elonmusk · x · 2026-07-27
Elon Musk says he does not pay “protection money” to the media, arguing that advertisers buy favorable coverage and that Tesla’s near-zero ad spend leaves it without that protection.
He quotes a story from a former investment-banking communications chief who said the media were gentle with the bank because it was one of their biggest advertisers. Musk extends the logic to Big Pharma, saying ads often serve to control media coverage rather than just sell products.
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