X shifting HQ from San Francisco, Elon Musk says ‘no choice’

NEW DELHI: As the news about X moving its headquarters from the state of San Francisco in the US became viral, its owner Elon Musk on Tuesday said he had no choice as it has become “impossible” to operate in the city on the West Coast.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO last month announced his decision to move the headquarters of its aerospace company as well as social media platform X from the US state of California. X, or Twitter as it was earlier known, has been in the city since it was founded in 2006.

“No choice. It is impossible to operate in San Francisco if you’re processing payments,” Musk posted on X. “That’s why Stripe, Block (CashApp) and others had to move,” the tech billionaire added.

According to reports, X CEO Linda Yaccarino has sent an email to employees, alerting them that the company will move out of its office in San Francisco.

The decision by Musk came after California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a new law that prohibits schools from requiring employees to notify parents if students want to use names or pronouns other than what’s on their birth certificates.

Last month, Musk said that this was the final straw because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies. He had also announced plans to shift SpaceX HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, a SpaceX complex and launch site near Brownsville, Texas.

“Authorities keep saying it will get better, but it doesn’t. Crime is allowed to run rampant in California,” the Tesla CEO had said.

He has already shifted Tesla headquarters from California to Texas.

“Have had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building,” said the tech billionaire.