They actually are free speech, especially if someone considers themselves a "free speech absolutist".
I keep hearing from these guys that the answer to speech you don't like is more speech. Musk owns one of the most prominent social media sites in the world - he could have front-paged an article explaining why Media Matters was wrong, the steps they took to 'contrive' their result, etc. etc.
But no, after encouragement from some of the worst people in the country, he forum shopped a vexatious lawsuit to get the Federal government to punish a company who's speech Elon didn't like. Extremely revealing.
Edit;
Just to remind everyone - this most recent spat started when one user posted a super antisemitic screed about how the jews have been pushing white-hatred and that they essentially deserve what they get from the "hordes of minorities" -- to which Elon replied, "You have said the actual truth".
Ah yes, famously measured scholar, "LibsofTikTok" weighing in on whether someone claiming Jews are importing "hordes of minorities" due to their "hatred of whites" is antisemtic or not. Meanwhile, antisemitic mass murders used the same rationale to justify their actions and tons of white supremacists celebrated Elon's comments. Very normal.
In the US, and in most countries, it’s not slander if it’s true. For a public figure, the standard is quite high; you’re talking a malicious objective lie. And even _then_ it can be hard to prove, as Naughty Old Mr Car knows very well; remember the Thailand thing?
So, “figure X is a stupid arsehole”: not slander. “Figure X has been sneaking into my kitchen and stealing the milk”: might be slander, depending.
> This November alone Media Matters released over twenty articles (and counting) disparaging both X Corp. and Elon Musk—a blatant smear campaign.