Musk appears to be withdrawing his earlier apology and doubling down on his bizarre personal attack on Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue the young soccer players and their coach from the Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand. Musk suggested Unsworth was a pedophile after Unsworth criticized Musk’s rescue submarine. Now Musk is asking why Unsworth did not sue him and why reporters never investigated the allegation — a suggestion that “truth is a defense” defamation. Update: Unsworth counsel has now confirmed that a lawsuit is being prepared.
Unsworth began the heated exchange with an unwarranted attack on Musk for simply designed and sending a rescue submarine to the cave. It was not likely to be used but Unsworth seemed unhinged by the gesture, stating Mush could “stick [it] where it hurts.”
That clearly was too much for Musk who called Unsworth a “pedo guy”, later tweeting: “Bet ya a signed dollar it’s true.” He later deleted both tweets and apologized.
That should be the end of the matter, but Musk rekindled the controversy on Tuesday night in responding to another critic on Twitter by noting “You don’t think it’s strange [Unsworth] hasn’t sued me? He was offered free legal services . . . Did you investigate at all? I’m guessing answer is no. Why?” he wrote in subsequent tweets that are still online.
drew olanoff
✔@yoda
one other thing, elon. your dedication to facts and truth would have been wonderful if applied to that time when you called someone a pedo.
Elon Musk
✔@elonmusk
You don’t think it’s strange he hasn’t sued me? He was offered free legal services. And you call yourself @yoda …
For his part, Unsworth told Sky News on Wednesday that he declined to respond to the attack and added: “It’s all being dealt with, that’s all I can say.”