Tech magnate Elon Musk criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, labeling them as “fundamentally antisemitic” during his visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Musk expressed his views in a conversation with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro at the European Jewish Association’s conference in Poland.
Musk voiced skepticism about DEI initiatives, stating, “The diversity and equity inclusion — we should always be … wary of any name that sounds like it could come out of a George Orwell book.” According to Musk, these policies result in discrimination based on factors such as race, sex, and sexual orientation, going against the principles of meritocracy and, in his opinion, being fundamentally antisemitic.
Joining the ranks of conservative figures advocating for the termination of DEI policies, Musk described them as the “definition of racism” and suggested a connection between these policies and challenges faced by airlines due to faulty parts.
Musk’s visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp followed accusations of promoting antisemitism on a platform referred to as “X” in November. Musk addressed these allegations during the conversation with Shapiro, asserting that X currently has less antisemitic content than ever before.
He cited external audits conducted on the platform, claiming, “The outside audits that we’ve done, at the ones that we’ve had done, show that there is the least amount of antisemitism on X if you look at all the other social apps.”