‘Relentlessly lying’: Elon slams SMH after scathing op-ed

US billionaire Elon Musk accused the Sydney masthead of “relentlessly lying” after it published a savage prediction about his future at Tesla.

Controversial billionaire Elon Musk hit out at The Sydney Morning Herald after technology editor David Swan published a scathing assessment of his future.

In a piece titled ‘Elon Musk quits Tesla, flying cars take off: The predictions for 2025’, Mr Swan described Musk’s leadership of multiple tech companies as “unsustainable”, adding that something would have to give now that he has taken on an active role in the Trump administration.

Tech editor at the SMH, David Swan said Musk had “wormed his way into Trump’s inner circle.”

It comes as Trump supporters were this week divided over Musk’s stance on skilled migration – a development Swan cited as one of the “constant controversies and distractions” that would force Musk to step back from Tesla.

“It will all come to a head in 2025, and Musk will be forced to hand over the reins at Tesla, a company many mistakenly think he founded.”, Mr Swan wrote.

Musk hit out at David Swan’s prediction he will be forced to step back from the electric vehicle giant. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Aaron Francis

Within hours, Mr Musk fired back on his social media platform X.

In a reply to another user’s commentary on the piece, Mr Musk told his 209.7 million followers he predicts “that the Sydney Morning Herald will continue to lose readership in 2025 for relentlessly lying to their audience and boring them to death”.

Mr Musk returned serve within hours of the article’s publication. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kirsty Wigglesworth / POOL / AFP

Taking Musk’s Barb on the chin, Mr Swan quoted Musk’s post with a simple two-word reply.

“Damn, roasted”, the post read.

He later shared a screenshot of the exchange on his LinkedIn account, quipping: “Couldn’t disagree more with Elon on this one.”

The Sydney Morning Herald has been approached for comment.