The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Archive: ‘How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter’ with Kate Conger and Ryan Mac
Dec 24, 2025
In a captivating conversation, technology reporters Kate Conger and Ryan Mac, co-authors of *Character Limit*, delve into the tumultuous acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk. They reflect on Musk's motivations and erratic deal-making style, comparing him to former CEOs Jack Dorsey and Parag Agrawal. The duo explores the evolution of content moderation on the platform, touching on its crucial role in public discourse and the human cost behind it. They also discuss the broader implications of Twitter's transformation into 'X' under Musk's leadership.
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Reporter Pulled Back By Musk's Tweet
- Kate Conger was covering cybersecurity in DC when Elon Musk's April 14, 2022 tweet upended her plans and pulled her back into tech reporting.
- She spent the rest of the summer juggling Ukraine coverage and the unfolding Twitter acquisition drama.
Three Leaders Shaped Twitter's Trajectory
- The book tracks Elon as both a product of Twitter's culture and the person who reshaped it after acquisition.
- Understanding Twitter requires seeing how Musk, Jack Dorsey, and Parag Agrawal differed and overlapped on speech and moderation.
Salt Juice Moment Reveals Executive Bond
- At a Twitter 'one team' event Jack Dorsey distributed a 'salt juice' recipe to employees as a gag.
- Parag Agrawal famously mixed a full pinch and drank it onstage, signaling his willingness to align with Dorsey's tastes and ideas.