In a recent interview, Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, shared his thoughts on Elon Musk’s tenure as CEO of the social media platform, describing some of his actions as “fairly reckless.”
Dorsey, who recently stepped down from Twitter’s board, discussed a range of topics, including his concerns about artificial intelligence and his support for presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
During the interview conducted by Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti on their YouTube channel “Breaking Points,” Dorsey revealed that he had persistently asked Musk to join Twitter’s board, and eventually, Musk agreed to do so in April of the previous year. Dorsey acknowledged Musk’s deep understanding of the platform and his expertise as a technologist. However, trouble arose when Musk attempted to back out of buying Twitter, which led to a lawsuit against him by the company. Dorsey pointed to this incident as the turning point in their relationship, stating that “when things really went south.”
The negotiations between Musk and Twitter dragged on for several months, resulting in a lawsuit filed by Twitter when Musk tried to withdraw from the deal after signing a contract. Faced with the prospect of a probable court loss, Musk ultimately completed the purchase and swiftly implemented cost-cutting measures, including laying off numerous Twitter employees. Dorsey characterized Musk’s actions during this period as hasty, impatient, and lacking in careful consideration. According to Dorsey, it appeared “fairly reckless.”
Although Dorsey did not explicitly mention any specific Twitter features during the interview, he implied that Musk’s introduction of paid Twitter Blue check marks and subscriptions and the company’s focus on live video products and services may have contributed to the perception of recklessness. Musk has also been testing Twitter’s Spaces feature, which experienced technical issues during his glitchy presidential campaign launch with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Dorsey’s recent comments align with his earlier statements on Bluesky, a social media app he supports. In response to a question from Bluesky users about whether Musk was the best choice for Twitter CEO, Dorsey expressed his disagreement, highlighting Musk’s flawed decision-making and criticizing the board for forcing the sale. However, Dorsey did express confidence in Twitter’s new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, who assumed the position recently. Musk has transitioned to the role of executive chair and chief technology officer at Twitter.
Jack Dorsey’s interview provided insights into his perspective on Elon Musk’s tenure as CEO of Twitter. Dorsey’s remarks highlighted the challenges that emerged when Musk tried to back out of purchasing the company and the subsequent need for rapid decision-making, which Dorsey deemed reckless.
