'Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale', says co-founder Jimmy Wales after Musk repeats call to defund
Elon Musk once again picked a battle with Wikipedia over the controversy surrounding his alleged Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration. In the past, Musk had also urged his fans to stop funding Wikipedia.
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has hit back at Tesla CEO Elon Musk over his call to defund the online encyclopedia "until balance is restored." Responding to Musk, Wales said the Tesla CEO was unhappy that Wikipedia was not for sale, referring to the world's richest man's previous offer to buy the online encyclopedia.
CREDIT: Jimmy Wales
'Musk in not happy'
"I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale. I hope his campaign to defund us results in lots of donations from people who care about the truth. If Elon wanted to help, he'd be encouraging kind and thoughtful intellectual people he agrees with to engage," Wales said.
I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale. I hope his campaign to defund us results in lots of donations from people who care about the truth. If Elon wanted to help, he'd be encouraging kind and thoughtful intellectual people he agrees with to engage.¡ https://t.co/qZ8TJ08V3L
¡ª Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) January 21, 2025
Musk vs Wikipedia
Musk once again picked a battle with Wikipedia over the controversy surrounding his alleged Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration.
"Since legacy media propaganda is considered a 'valid' source by Wikipedia, it naturally simply becomes an extension of legacy media propaganda," Musk stated while reposting a post on X.
CREDIT: REUTERS
Wales responded to Musk, saying there was nothing inaccurate in the Wikipedia article he was referring to.
"In his speech during the second Trump inauguration, Musk twice extended his right arm towards the crowd at an upward angle. The gesture was compared to a Nazi salute or fascist salute. Musk denied any meaning behind the gesture," the text read.
"Is there anything you consider inaccurate in that description? It's true you did the gesture (twice) and that people did compare it to a Nazi salute (many people), and it's true that you denied it had any meaning. That isn't MSM propaganda. That's fact. Every element of it," Wales said.
Is there anything you consider inaccurate in that description? It's true you did the gesture (twice) and that people did compare it to a Nazi salute (many people) and it's true that you denied it had any meaning.
¡ª Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) January 21, 2025
That isn't MSM propaganda. That's fact. Every element of it.
Musk offered $1 billion to Wikipedia
In the past, Musk had also urged his fans to stop funding Wikipedia, citing concerns over the foundation's spending on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Musk had also offered to donate $1 billion to Wikipedia on the condition that it change its name to "Dickipedia."
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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