AP mocked for anti-Musk gibe implying free speech defense incompatible with barbed tweets

The Associated Press received mocking backlash on Twitter for a post criticizing new platform owner Elon Musk for promising to defend free speech while speaking freely on the site.

"Elon Musk boasts that he’s acquiring Twitter to defend freedom of speech. But he has long used the platform to attack those who disagree with him," The Associated Press tweeted with a link to an article titled "Elon Musk, an erratic visionary, revels in contradiction."

Twitter users responded by roasting the news agency.

"Shorter version: AP is not familiar with the concept of 'free speech,'" Christina Pushaw, press secretary for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) replied.

Commentator Yossi Gestetner said the "second part of the tweet is not associated with the first part."

Author and commentator Michael Malice called the AP the "corporate press" and said it is the "enemy of the people."

"Everyone knows free speech means you can’t respond to critics," deadpanned Babylon Bee's Seth Dillon.

Author Josh Steimle observed, "Based on the comments, the average user on Twitter understands free speech better than three journalists and multiple editors working together at the AP."

The AP's tweet had more than three times the number of comments than "Likes" as of press time.