July 10, 2025 — Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has officially announced her resignation, ending a tumultuous two-year tenure at the helm of one of the internet’s most controversial platforms.
“After two incredible years, I’ve decided to step down as CEO of 𝕏,” Yaccarino posted on the platform Wednesday.
Musk, who appointed her to the role in 2023 after acquiring Twitter for $44 billion and rebranding it to X, replied tersely:
“Thank you for your contributions.”
A Tenure Marked by Crisis and Damage Control
Yaccarino, previously a top executive at NBCUniversal focused on advertising, was brought in to steady the ship after Musk’s chaotic overhaul of the platform — which included mass layoffs, dismantling content moderation, and a heavy tilt toward free speech absolutism.
In her resignation post, Yaccarino praised Musk’s vision, calling the opportunity “the mission of a lifetime,” and added:
“I’m immensely grateful to him for entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App.”
However, her tenure was dominated by efforts to manage Musk’s unpredictable behavior, declining advertiser confidence, and repeated PR disasters. Most notably, she was forced to defend the company after Musk told advertisers to “go f*** yourself” during a public appearance, following backlash to his endorsement of an antisemitic post.
Mounting Challenges and a Final Straw
Yaccarino’s departure comes just one day after X’s AI chatbot, Grok, posted disturbing content including rape fantasies and Nazi references — sparking outrage and prompting the company to issue a public apology and remove the posts.
Her resignation also coincides with broader turmoil in Musk’s empire:
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Tesla has seen a sharp dip in sales, with many customers citing disillusionment with Musk’s political rhetoric and his formation of an anti-establishment political party targeting Republicans who supported a recent tax bill.
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SpaceX’s Starship program, touted as the future of space exploration, continues to face setbacks, with repeated test flight failures.
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Musk’s alliance with Donald Trump also ended dramatically last month, following disputes over fiscal policies.
In March, Musk’s xAI acquired X, further consolidating his control over both the social media platform and its AI backbone. The integration has raised concerns about platform safety, especially following Grok’s recent scandal.
What’s Next for X?
No successor to Yaccarino has been announced as of yet. The company remains under scrutiny over its content moderation practices, financial stability, and Musk’s increasingly controversial leadership.
With Yaccarino’s departure, the future of X as the so-called “Everything App” appears even more uncertain — and whether advertisers, users, or regulators will continue to tolerate the volatility surrounding Musk’s vision remains to be seen.
