Elon Musk addressed accusations of antisemitism during a live chat on Thursday, asserting that he is “aspirationally Jewish” in response to recent controversies, BusinessInsider reports.

The confrontation between Musk and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) escalated earlier this month when the ADL criticized Musk for not effectively countering anti-Jewish hate speech on X. In retaliation, Musk accused the ADL of promoting a “woke mind virus” and threatened to ban the organization from his social media platform.

Last year, researchers found a significant increase in hate speech on the social network since Musk's takeover.

Daily Wire Chat

During a nearly two-hour chat on Ben Shapiro's “Daily Wire” podcast, Musk engaged in a discussion with prominent Jewish figures, including Natan Sharansky, Alan Dershowitz, and former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. When asked about his views on the Jewish community, Musk mentioned attending a Jewish pre-school, highlighted that “Elon” is an Israeli name, and noted that he has visited Israel twice.

Musk remarked, “I’m aware of that old sort of trope of like, you know, ‘I have a Jewish friend,'” and added, “I don’t have a Jewish friend. I think probably I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. That’s why I think I like to think I’m Jewish, basically.”

Musk's conflict with the ADL includes allegations of antisemitism and threats to sue the organization for falsely accusing him and X of being antisemitic. The ADL's chief, Jonathon Greenblatt, criticized Musk's behavior as “flat out dangerous and deeply irresponsible.”

Furthermore, X faces legal action from HateAid and the European Union of Jewish Students, who claim that the platform failed to remove antisemitic and Holocaust-denying content even after reports. Musk has argued that the level of hate speech on the platform has decreased since he assumed control.

Musk's unconventional response to allegations of antisemitism continues to generate discussion and debate.