Linda Yaccarino, the high-profile executive brought in by Elon Musk to steer X (formerly Twitter) through a turbulent rebrand and advertiser crisis, has announced her resignation as CEO.
The move comes less than three months after the social media platform was officially absorbed by Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI.
“After two incredible years, I’ve decided to step down as CEO of X. I’ll be cheering you all on as you continue to change the world,” Yaccarino wrote in a post on the platform on Wednesday.
Her departure marks the end of a challenging stint in which she attempted to rebuild advertiser trust and manage growing scrutiny over the platform’s content and direction.
“Lifetime opportunity”
In her farewell message, Yaccarino called her time at X “the opportunity of a lifetime,” and thanked Musk for entrusting her with “the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App.”
She maintained that X had made progress in user safety and rebuilding advertiser trust during her tenure.
- But controversies surrounding the platform have intensified since the xAI takeover. Just this week, Grok, the AI chatbot developed by xAI and integrated into X, came under fire after posting antisemitic and offensive content.
- The Turkish government condemned the posts as unacceptable and threatened to ban the platform. Poland also called on the European Union to investigate xAI over abusive remarks Grok made about its politicians.
- These developments come as the European Commission reportedly weighs the first-ever fine under the EU’s Digital Services Act against X, with a decision expected before the summer recess in August.
What you should know
Yaccarino, formerly NBCUniversal advertising executive, joined X in May 2023 after Musk had slashed the company’s workforce by around 75%.
She was tasked with repairing X’s relationship with advertisers, many of whom had fled following Musk’s unpredictable approach to content moderation and controversial public statements.
Despite repeated efforts to assure stakeholders of X’s commitment to safety and free expression, the platform has continued to face backlash over rising hate speech, violent content, and misinformation.
Her position became increasingly uncertain after Musk’s xAI acquired X in March 2025, valuing the company at $33 billion. The deal, aimed at settling lingering questions from X’s backers, effectively placed the platform under the umbrella of Musk’s ambitious AI venture.
Yaccarino’s exit adds to the uncertainty surrounding the future of X — a platform caught between its legacy as a social media giant and Musk’s futuristic ambitions to turn it into an AI-driven super app.
