Elon Musk says the 'constant attack' from the media about him being a 'horrible person' has been hurtful, but it's better than no free speech

Elon Musk spoke about how media coverage of him had been "rough" and "hurtful" during a 90-minute interview with the BBC that was live-streamed on Tuesday night from Twitter's San Francisco office. 

"I've been under constant attack," the billionaire said. "It's not like I have a stone-cold heart or something. It's rough."

"If the media's firing non-stop stories about why you're a horrible person, it's hurtful," he added.

Musk didn't refer to any specific reports, but his management style has come under scrutiny several times. 

He has reportedly fired several Twitter employees who criticized him, including one who told Musk his popularity was sinking on the platform, and another who opposed his joke tweet about Donald Trump.