You didn't mention LessWrong, the rationalist website he founded and the reason he got famous in the first place.

Is he trying to distance himself from it now?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LessWrong

Sorry, I considered it a given and didn't think to include it. That's my bad. That's definitely by far what he's most known for. He most certainly is not trying to distance himself from it.