Presumably he will have to pay the $1 billion walkaway penalty. But the complete collapse of his trustability among potential business partners will cost him a lot more.
They have a binding contract, there is no walking away without spending years in court
In that contract, Musk even agrees he cannot contest Twitter forcing him to complete the purchase
> it is hereby acknowledged and agreed that the Company shall be entitled to specific performance or other equitable remedy to enforce Parent and Acquisition Sub’s obligations to cause the Equity Investor to fund the Equity Financing, or to enforce the Equity Investor’s obligation to fund the Equity Financing directly, and to consummate the Closing
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418091/000119312522...
I mean, notwithstanding the fairly arcane language - 'ouch'.
It would be callous of me explicitly to spell it out, but, going forward, his reputation may be the least of his worries.
Even psychologists say you shouldn't do that. Psychology is the contemporary inquisitor, let it go.
https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu...