Linda Yaccarino steps down as CEO of Elon Musk's X

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Jul 09, 2025 5:18 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Linda Yaccarino said connected Wednesday she would measurement down from her relation arsenic CEO of X in a astonishment move, conscionable months aft billionare Elon Musk's societal media level was acquired by his AI startup, xAI. 

Her departure adds to the turbulence successful Musk's sprawling business empire, including falling income astatine his electrical conveyance company, Tesla, and AI-related controversies. Musk is besides embroiled successful a warfare of words with his erstwhile ally, U.S. President Donald Trump.

Yaccarino announced that she was leaving in a station connected X, stating that she was grateful to Musk "for entrusting maine with the work of protecting escaped speech, turning the institution around, and transforming X into the Everything App."

In a reply to the CEO's post, Musk thanked Yaccarino for her contributions.

In her post, she did not springiness a circumstantial crushed for her determination to leave. Neither she nor representatives astatine X responded to requests for comment.

Grok chatbot nether occurrence over antisemitic responses  

Her resignation comes conscionable 1 time aft Grok, X's AI chatbot developed by xAI, posted antisemitic contented praising Adolf Hitler connected the platform. On Tuesday, Grok suggested Hitler would beryllium capable to combat alleged "anti-white hatred," saying helium would "spot the signifier and grip it decisively."

The posts were aboriginal deleted pursuing backlash from the public and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Some radical connected X noted Yaccarino's resignation came conscionable a time aft the chatbot's use of antisemitic language.

"Does this person thing to bash with Grok's meltdown yesterday?" 1 idiosyncratic asked.

Yaccarino, antecedently seat of planetary advertizing and partnerships astatine Comcast's NBCUniversal, whitethorn person near arsenic "a effect of a deficiency of acceptable betwixt her attack and Elon Musk's style," said Gil Luria, expert astatine D.A. Davidson.

"This whitethorn person travel to a caput erstwhile the embedded AI chat Grok started responding to AI posts successful an progressively violative mode yesterday."

In March, Musk's AI startup xAI acquired the societal media platform successful a $33 cardinal all-stock deal.

Tesla besides faces exec exodus

Tesla is besides dealing with an exodus of top executives. Musk's confidant astatine Tesla, Omead Afshar, and North America HR manager Jenna Ferrua near the institution last month, sources told Reuters.

Tesla shares slipped astir one per cent on quality about Yaccarino's departure, but past clawed back immoderate mislaid ground.

Yaccarino took the apical occupation successful 2023 to assistance Musk alteration Twitter, arsenic it was past known, aft helium bought it in a $44 cardinal deal.

The societal media level is dealing with a dense indebtedness load, and Yaccarino has often had to woody with controversies stirred up by Musk, including his endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories successful precocious 2023.

The institution aboriginal sued galore advertisers and an advertising group, alleging they colluded to contradict X advertisement dollars.

Under Yaccarino, X introduced a scope of caller features aimed at turning the societal media tract into the "everything app" that Musk desired, including partnering with Visa to offer direct outgo solutions and launching a astute TV app.

The institution was besides exploring rolling retired an X recognition or debit card, the Financial Times reported past month.