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Saudi Arabia, Turkey react to Elon Musk's Twitter takeover

Musk’s purchase of the social media giant is being heavily discussed in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, where the billionaire has a complicated history with both governments.
Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during a press conference at SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on Feb. 10, 2022.

Billionaire Elon Musk reached a deal to buy Twitter yesterday for $44 billion in cash. Much of Musk’s plans for the social media platform concern reforming Twitter’s content moderation policies, which have been criticized as restrictive of free speech. 

The acquisition elicited a strong reaction in some Middle Eastern circles, principally in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

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