Inside Linda Yaccarino’s tumultuous tenure at X under Elon Musk

Linda Yaccarino’s resignation from X as chief executive marked the end of a high-pressure — and at times emotional — two-year stint that insiders described as riddled with stress, conflict and power struggles, according to a report.  

At times, Yaccarino was reportedly tearful in the office, worn down by the overwhelming demands of working under Elon Musk and the increasing pressure surrounding her role, the Financial Times reported over the weekend. 

Yaccarino had claimed in an interview just three weeks before stepping down that “I’m the CEO of X and my boss remains the same.”

But last Wednesday she announced her departure, citing X’s merger with Musk’s AI venture xAI as a turning point and calling it a “new chapter” for the company.

Multiple people who worked with both Yaccarino and Musk said the two were fundamentally mismatched.  

“Sheryl [Sandberg] found the rhythm with Mark [Zuckerberg]. Linda couldn’t find the rhythm with Elon,” one source told FT, referring to the former chief operating officer of Meta’s relationship with the CEO.  

Their contrasting styles — Yaccarino’s polished advertising world background versus Musk’s unfiltered, hands-on leadership — clashed repeatedly. 

“Elon calls all the shots,” an advertising executive who knows both Yaccarino and Musk told FT.  

“She tried to ride the tiger but was thrown off.”  

Another person added, “He did not dig her style as a shiny, flashy Madison Avenue executive. He wants to have an authentic conversation and not be bullsh–ted.” 

A breaking point reportedly came early last year, when Yaccarino helped secure a content deal with former CNN anchor Don Lemon.  

The arrangement backfired after Lemon conducted a contentious interview with Musk, asking if he used drugs. Musk canceled the deal, and Lemon is now suing for breach of contract. 

The internal tension and lack of authority reportedly took an emotional toll. Multiple people who worked with Yaccarino said she was “at times being tearful in the office.”

One former colleague told FT: “She lasted two years in a job that would have crushed most people in two weeks.” 

Though she managed to lure back some major advertisers like Apple, Google and Verizon, many in the industry questioned the sustainability and strategy behind the return.

“To her credit, she did get advertisers back to X,” one longtime executive told FT. “She did it with a gun, but they came back.”

Another added, “They did not return voluntarily or happily.” 

Others criticized the platform’s underperformance.  

“Many clients don’t advertise on X, not because of the content, but because it does not perform very well,” one executive told FT.  

Sensor Tower reported some renewed ad strength, and Emarketer projected a revenue increase to $2.3 billion in 2025 — still far below the $4.1 billion in global sales before Musk’s takeover. 

The Post has sought comment from X, Yaccarino and Musk. 

Yaccarino’s priorities sometimes diverged from Musk’s, particularly around child safety — a concern she reportedly believed Musk was not focused on enough, according to FT.  

She ultimately informed a small circle ahead of time about her resignation, which happened to coincide with xAI’s chatbot Grok publishing antisemitic content, FT reported. X staff said the two events were unrelated. 

Yaccarino’s challenges began as soon as she took the job in 2023, leaving NBCUniversal to help repair the damage Musk’s $44 billion takeover of the platform had inflicted on advertiser relations.  

Brands had fled the platform, citing Musk’s volatile behavior and tolerance of toxic content. She was known as the “Velvet Hammer” in the industry, with a reputation for toughness and a powerful Rolodex of brand contacts. 

She scored some victories, securing deals with creators and sports leagues, upgrading X’s video features and laying the groundwork for a digital wallet called X Money.

She also aggressively pursued advertisers — at one point suing their trade group and companies like Shell and Pinterest, accusing them of an “illegal boycott.” 

But despite her efforts, she never gained full control of the company. Musk retained ultimate authority, even in areas core to her role like advertising, the FT reported.  

He began making unilateral decisions — banning hashtags in ads, charging brands based on vertical ad size — and hired product chief Nikita Bier without her input, according to FT. 

Musk’s growing relationship with President Donald Trump created further complications. His focus on politics temporarily drew attention away from X, offering Yaccarino some breathing room.  

“What saved her was the election and Elon diving deep into the administration,” one person who worked with both told FT.  

But once Musk returned to business and pushed the $45 billion acquisition of X by xAI, her position became increasingly tenuous, it was reported. 

Financial control was another battleground. Musk brought in Mahmoud Reza Banki as CFO, who reported directly to Musk and bypassed Yaccarino.

Their relationship grew strained, especially when Banki redirected funds away from creator and ad-tech investments — areas Yaccarino viewed as crucial, according to FT. 

Publicly, Yaccarino remained loyal to Musk, but insiders suggested her style never resonated with him. Her deep ties to Trump, however, remain intact, according to the FT. 

She is reportedly close to Ivanka Trump, HUD Secretary Scott Turner and Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. One confidante said she still supports Trump despite his falling-out with Musk. 

Her next move remains unclear. Some speculate she may join the Trump administration or assume a public-facing role around free speech.