Elon Musk says he’s ‘not sure’ he’ll be able to buy Twitter after $43 billion bid, teases a plan B

Elon Musk says he’s ‘not sure’ he’ll be able to buy Twitter after  billion bid, teases a plan B


Brendan Smialowski | Afp | Getty Images

Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged Thursday he is “not sure” he’ll actually be able to buy Twitter, hours after he revealed a $43 billion offer.

Musk comments came at the TED2022 conference in Vancouver just hours after he revealed in a regulatory filing Thursday that he offered $54.20 per share to buy the platform. Twitter confirmed it had received the bid but its board must still review the offer, which values shares much lower than the $70 they reached last summer. But Musk had said the offer would be his “best and final” one.

Musk said if he is able to buy the company and take it private, he would like to keep as many shareholders involved as allowed under that structure. Even though as the world’s richest man he said he can “technically afford it” but “I don’t care about the economics at all.”

Asked by TED’s Chris Anderson if there was a “Plan B” if his current offer were rejected, Musk said, “there is.”

He declined to elaborate.

Despite his vast wealth, much of Musk’s assets are not liquid, leaving some analysts to wonder how he would provide the funds if his bid were accepted. Anderson asked if he had “funding secured,” alluding to Musk’s infamous tweet when he said he would take Tesla private, which later got him into hot water with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“I have sufficient assets,” Musk said. “I can do it if possible.”

He added in reference to the earlier Tesla take private tweet, “funding was actually secured.”

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.



Source

Right-wing Sanae Takaichi is set to be Japan’s first female prime minister
World

Right-wing Sanae Takaichi is set to be Japan’s first female prime minister

Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), attends a press conference after the LDP presidential election in Tokyo on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Yuichi Yamazaki | Pool Photo via AP Japan’s ruling party picked hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi as its head on Saturday, putting her on course […]

Read More
Trump asks Israel to stop bombing Gaza, saying Hamas is ready for peace
World

Trump asks Israel to stop bombing Gaza, saying Hamas is ready for peace

Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip September 29, 2025. Mahmoud Issa | Reuters President Donald Trump told Israel on Friday to immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to release hostages and some other terms in a U.S. plan to end the war, but […]

Read More
Trump’s 0,000 fee for H-1B worker visas challenged in lawsuit
World

Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B worker visas challenged in lawsuit

President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on September 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik | Getty Images A coalition of unions, employers and religious groups filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking to block President Donald Trump’s bid to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B […]

Read More