Elon Musk is allying with Bill Ackman and raging against DEI

• Elon Musk is allying himself with Bill Ackman, saying he thinks DEI is racist.
• "DEI is just another word for racism. Shame on anyone who uses it," Musk wrote on X.
• The billionaire was responding to Ackman's 4000-word essay on the subject.

Bill Ackman just got himself a new supporter in his war on DEI: Elon Musk.

"DEI is just another word for racism. Shame on anyone who uses it," Musk wrote on X on Wednesday in response to Ackman's essay on the subject.

Ackman on Wednesday posted to X a 4000-word missive criticizing DEI, arguing that the practice is "the root cause of antisemitism at Harvard" on Wednesday morning.

The fund manager has been a vocal critic of former Harvard president Claudine Gay and the school's approach toward on-campus antisemitism.

"DEI, because it discriminates on the basis of race, gender and many other factors, is not merely immoral, it is also illegal," Musk wrote in a subsequent post.

This isn't the first time Musk has supported Ackman's advocacy.

Last month, Musk praised one of Ackman's open letters to Harvard, which had called for Claudine Gay's resignation.

"Your letter simply articulated, with great clarity, the severe concerns held by many," Musk wrote on X.

Musk's support for Ackman appears to be mutual. Ackman defended Musk last month after the latter was accused of being antisemitic.

Ackman called Musk a "free speech absolutist" whose ownership of X would benefit society.

"To use a Muskism, Earth is fortunate that X is owned by an individual that is largely insulated from financial and other influence," Ackman said on X.

"We all should be grateful that X is owned by Musk," Ackman wrote.

Representatives for Musk and Ackman did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.