Elon Musk Denies Devin Nunes’ Claim That Donald Trump ‘Encouraged’ Tesla CEO to Buy Twitter

variety.com:

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorDevin Nunes, the former congressman who is now CEO of Donald Trump’s social-media rival to Twitter, claimed that his new boss “encouraged” tech mogul Elon Musk to acquire Twitter, to “take on these tech tyrants.”Musk says that’s false.“I’ve had no communication, directly or indirectly, with Trump, who has publicly stated that he will be exclusively on Truth Social,” Musk tweeted Friday, replying to a New York Post article about Nunes’ claims.In an appearance Wednesday on Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Co,” Nunes said, “President Trump, basically before Elon Musk bought it, actually said to go and buy it because the goal of our company is really to build a community where people are in a family-friendly, safe environment.” Nunes added, “we encouraged Elon Musk to buy” Twitter, because “someone has to take on these tech tyrants… Donald Trump wanted to make sure that the American people got their voice back and that the internet was open and that’s what we are doing.” Nunes, who is CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group, once sued Twitter, seeking $250 million in damages, alleging in part he was defamed by anonymous parody accounts “Devin Nunes’ Mom” and “Devin Nunes’ Cow.” A judge threw out the case.Musk has said he’s primarily interested in protecting “free speech” on Twitter, and he has criticized the company for allegedly having a left-leaning political bias.

That stance has led right-wingers — who have long alleged Twitter (and other internet platforms) somehow stifle conservative viewpoints — to champion Musk’s $44 billion bid for Twitter.Twitter permanently banned Trump shortly after the Jan.