Elon Musk called on the estranged wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin to sue the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) over a story surrounding an alleged affair.
A lawyer for Nicole Shanahan said the WSJ’s report of the affair between Musk and Shanahan is false. The newspaper, which first reported on the alleged affair, doubled down on the story by saying they trust their sources.
“As a ‘public person’, standard to win a defamation lawsuit against a news org is almost impossible. They could say I’m Satan and the “source” is their psychic! Nicole is not a public person, so could win. I hope she sues them. @michaelsiconolf has done so many fake hit pieces. Moreover, I talked to Sergey yesterday and he says neither he nor anyone he knows has talked to WSJ.”
Moreover, I talked to Sergey yesterday and he says neither he nor anyone he knows has talked to WSJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 27, 2022
“The media is a click-seeking machine dressed up as a truth-seeking machine,” he added in a separate post.
The media is a click-seeking machine dressed up as a truth-seeking machine
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 27, 2022
Sources reportedly familiar with the situation told the WSJ that Musk had a brief affair with Shanahan while the couple was separated but still living in the same home. Brin then reportedly filed for divorce from Shanahan several weeks after learning about the affair. (RELATED: Elon Musk Responds To Affair Rumors)
The Tesla CEO allegedly begged Brin, a close friend of his, for forgiveness, the WSJ reported. The newspaper reported that the affair had ruined their friendship.
Musk sent a photograph to the New York Post of himself and Brin hanging out over the weekend appearing to be laughing and in good spirits. He called the WSJ’s report “total bs” and that he never had a romantic involvement with Shanahan.
This is total bs. Sergey and I are friends and were at a party together last night!
I’ve only seen Nicole twice in three years, both times with many other people around. Nothing romantic.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2022
Musk claimed the WSJ has published several false stories about him and his company, Tesla, even allegedly reporting that the FBI was prepared to place him under arrest.
“WSJ has run so many bs hit pieces on me and Tesla I’ve lost count! It’s embarrassing for them, frankly,” he said. “They once wrote an article saying FBI was about to arrest me, so I called FBI to ask what’s up and they said WSJ article was total bs. Just more shortseller fud.”