Tim Cook’s relationship with Twitter owner and billionaire Elon Musk has long been contentious, as Musk has criticized Apple on everything from the App Store to even taking jabs at Cook himself.
But in a new interview with GQ, Cook opened up about the duo’s relationship and offered an explanation about why he takes meetings with the Tesla owner.
“I feel very strongly about engaging with people regardless of whether they agree with you or not,” Cook told the publication. “I actually think it’s even more important to engage when there’s disagreement.”
Cook says he’s used to meeting with people who don’t share his viewpoint.
“I’m used to being in a [room] with someone who has a different view than I do,” Cook said of his interactions with Musk during this week’s interview with GQ. “This is not a unique thing for me.”
Related: Twitter’s ‘War’ With Apple Ends after Elon Musk Meets With Tim Cook
When it comes to Musk, the pair’s viewpoints have been pretty far apart at times. In November of last year, Musk attacked Apple on Twitter by claiming that the tech behemoth had “threatened” to remove Twitter from the App Store but would not give a reason why.
Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
Musk followed up with another Tweet asking if Apple was against “free speech in America,” claiming that Apple had stopped most of its advertising on the platform.
Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
Days after the Twitter fiasco, Musk went to tour Apple’s HQ in San Francisco alongside Cook, clearing up to Twitter followers that he and Cook had buried the hatchet and that Twitter was set to remain in the App Store.
Good conversation. Among other things, we resolved the misunderstanding about Twitter potentially being removed from the App Store. Tim was clear that Apple never considered doing so.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 30, 2022
“[My] philosophy is engagement,” Cook told GQ.
In 2021, there was even a rumor that Musk was trying to replace Cook as CEO of Apple, something Musk vehemently denied via Twitter at the time.
Cook & I have never spoken or written to each other ever.
There was a point where I requested to meet with Cook to talk about Apple buying Tesla. There were no conditions of acquisition proposed whatsoever.
He refused to meet. Tesla was worth about 6% of today’s value.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 30, 2021
Apple was up just over 6.8% in a one-year period as of Wednesday afternoon.
