--- title: "Elon Musk May Be Plotting a Hostile Takeover of Twitter" description: "No, this isn't the climax of \"Succession\" — Elon Musk really could maneuver his way into owning Twitter." date: "2022-04-12" modified: "2022-04-12" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-possible-twitter-hostile-takeover" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "finance" - "the digest" - "twitter" --- # Elon Musk May Be Plotting a Hostile Takeover of Twitter ![No, this isn't the climax of "Succession" — Elon Musk really could maneuver his way into owning Twitter.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Kiss From Daddy Looks like somebody has been watching a little too much "Succession." At least, that's the impression one gets from reports like [this one, from *Fortune* magazine](), that Tesla CEO Elon Musk could pursue a hostile takeover of Twitter after [declining to join the social media giant's board of directors]() following his decision to [buy a significant stake in the company](). ## It's Possible While this is hardly the first [theory about Musk purchasing nine percent of Twitter](), it does at least have legal credibility. As fans of the aforementioned HBO rich people family drama know, major stakeholders can pursue a hostile takeover by buying up enough stake in the company, or forming alliances with other stakeholders, to gain a controlling share. As *Fortune* noted, Musk would have been capped out at a maximum 14.9 percent of Twitter had he joined the board — but because he didn't, it leaves the door open for a hostile takeover. So far, though, there's not much in the way of indication that Musk plans to do anything of the sort. In the tweets announcing Musk had declined a board seat, [Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal only said]() that Musk turned down the seat the day it was set to take effect. He also added that the Tesla CEO would have had to pass a background check, [prompting speculation]() that he might not have passed it. ## Money Talks If Musk were to attempt a hostile takeover of Twitter, the company would, [as *CNBC* notes](), have one last Hail Mary to avoid his ownership — what is known as [a "poison pill"]() (again, this is all very familiar to "Succession" viewers), which artificially lowers share costs and thus allows shareholders to buy up more shares at lowered prices in an effort to defend against a takeover. As always, though, the only thing to do is wait and see what tricks Musk might have up his sleeve. **READ MORE:** [Musk turns down a seat on Twitter’s board, leaving the door open for him to pursue a hostile takeover]() \[*Fortune*\] **More Musk:** *[Elon Musk Has a Lot of Plans for Twitter]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()