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Five times Elon Musk was forced to say sorry
Here’s a look at five moments when Musk had to apologise publicly
Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, is as famous for his innovations as he is for his controversies.
Known for his unfiltered presence on social media, Musk has often found himself in hot water, and on several occasions, he’s had to issue public apologies.
Here’s a look at five moments when Musk had to apologise publicly.
1. The “P-word” tweet scandal (2018)
In July 2018, Musk lashed out at British cave diver Vernon Unsworth, calling him a “P-word” after Unsworth dismissed Musk’s idea of a mini-submarine for the Thai cave rescue.
The insult sparked outrage and a $190 million defamation lawsuit. Musk later deleted the tweet and apologised, calling it a heat-of-the-moment remark. A jury eventually cleared him of liability in 2019.
2. Courtroom apology (2019)
During the trial over the same case in December 2019, Musk apologised directly to Unsworth in court, explaining that the term was meant as slang from South Africa but acknowledging it was inappropriate.
Despite his apology, the jury ruled in Musk’s favour.
3. Apology to Haraldur Thorleifsson (2023)
In March 2023, Musk publicly questioned Twitter employee Haraldur “Halli” Thorleifsson’s productivity, only to learn he had muscular dystrophy.
The backlash was swift. Musk later apologised on X, admitting he misunderstood Halli’s condition and even suggested the designer might return to the company.
4. The “loaded gun” tweet (2023)
In November 2023, Musk replied to a conspiracy-laced post that many considered deeply offensive.
The fallout was immediate: Apple, Disney, and IBM suspended ads on X, and Tesla’s stock dipped.
At the DealBook Summit soon after, Musk apologised, calling it his “dumbest post ever” and admitting, “I handed a loaded gun to those who hate me.”
5. Apology to Trump (2025)
In June 2025, Musk posted a series of scathing tweets aimed at President Donald Trump, referencing Trump’s past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
After political pushback, Musk issued an apology on June 12, admitting his post had gone too far. On the same day, Musk's net worth jumped $191 million.
