Multi-billionaire technology tycoon Elon Musk told a jury in California on Wednesday that stock market investors read too much into his social media posts.

He was defending himself against claims from investors, who have accused him of trying to manipulate markets with a series of misleading messages in the run-up to his 2022 purchase of Twitter.

Musk said posts he wrote after he had struck a deal to buy the platform were “extremely literal” and not intended to try to reduce the price he would have to pay.

“I was simply speaking my mind,” he said when asked if he had considered the impact of his posts, including one in which he declared his takeover plans on hold.