Matt Mullenweg Claims Automattic Control After Board Ouster
Matt Mullenweg claims he has regained control of Automattic after its board put him on paid leave, but the company and board have not confirmed the reversal.
Summary
Matt Mullenweg told Automattic’s Slack early Friday, September 11, 2026, that he had regained control of the WordPress.com parent and its board was again aligned after a turbulent 48 hours. He linked LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.” On Wednesday, Mullenweg said directors had conspired to place him on paid leave for undisclosed reasons and appoint CFO Mark Davies interim CEO, changes Automattic confirmed at the time.
Automattic has not confirmed the claimed reversal, multiple employees had received no word from the board, and Davies’ Slack account was deactivated. Mullenweg had also removed every Slack administrator and posted an unusually profane message calling himself a pirate. Asked whether he was trolling, he maintained that he was a pirate; a promised explanatory blog post instead concerned his purchase of a houseboat. On Reddit and X, he disputed speculation, sought sysadmins and security researchers to move material hosted at Automattic, and supported Davies while alleging Silver Lake, majority owner of WP Engine, joined a plan to destroy his life amid WP Engine’s lawsuit with Mullenweg and Automattic. His September 11 posts also characterized the episode as a coup attempt and joked that boards are never boring. Control of Automattic remains unverified.
Positives
- Mullenweg said Automattic’s board had returned to agreement within 48 hours, potentially signaling a rapid resolution if confirmed.
- Mullenweg expressed respect for those involved and said he hoped much of the dispute was a misunderstanding.
- Mullenweg continued to support Mark Davies as CEO publicly despite challenging the board’s decision.
Risks & concerns
- Automattic and its board have not confirmed Mullenweg’s claim that he regained control.
- Mark Davies’ Slack account was deactivated after Automattic had confirmed him as interim CEO.
- Mullenweg removed every Automattic Slack administrator, creating potential operational and security disruption.
- The board’s reasons for placing Mullenweg on paid leave remain undisclosed.
- Mullenweg accused Silver Lake of helping plan his destruction amid an existing lawsuit involving WP Engine, Automattic and Mullenweg.
- Conflicting messages, pirate posts and an unrelated houseboat announcement leave employees uncertain about Automattic’s leadership.