Elon Musk renewed the Wikipedia funding and naming debate by standing by his $1 billion offer that sparked controversy. Musk confirmed through his X (formerly Twitter) account on February 17, 2025, that his initial proposal remains valid. The statement from Elon Musk appeared on X as he continued his usual blend of playful and provocative tone by challenging Wikipedia to take his offer. Come on, do it…”
The statement describes Musk’s October 2023 offer to the Wikimedia Foundation for $1 billion, which depended on Wikipedia renaming itself “Dickipedia.” Musk made this offer, which many interpreted as an attack on Wikipedia’s reputation, during his ongoing conflict with Jimmy Wales. Musk has persistently expressed doubts about Wikipedia’s funding methods by attacking its donation requests even though the organization maintains a substantial financial foundation.
Social media interactions between Musk and Wikipedia showed him mocking their donation requests by suggesting they do not need the funds they ask for. The response to a Wikipedia donation meme prompted him to write “Every time” to demonstrate his concerns about the nonprofit’s financial openness.
The criticism from Musk intensified in late 2024 when he demanded his followers cease donating to the Wikimedia Foundation. Musk claimed that the Wikimedia Foundation allocated 29% of its $177 million budget to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs instead of essential operational costs. The platform received the derogatory name “Wokepedia” from Musk while he demanded donors stop supporting the Wikimedia Foundation until its editorial policies achieved balance.
Wales has increased his criticism of Musk after the X platform lost its verification features, which created difficulties in identifying trustworthy sources. The feud between Musk and Wikipedia intensified when he challenged the reliability of Wikipedia content.