Hold onto your seats, because the billionaire beef between Elon Musk and Bill Gates is heating up again—and it’s as juicy as ever. But here’s where it gets controversial: Musk is calling out Gates for his long-standing bet against Tesla, even as that bet has turned into a staggering $1.5 billion loss. Yes, you read that right. And this is the part most people miss: Musk isn’t just brushing it off—he’s doubling down, publicly urging Gates to cut his losses before they climb even higher.
Fresh off the victory of securing a mind-boggling $1 trillion pay package from Tesla shareholders, Musk took to social media to reignite this feud, which dates back to 2022. In a Sunday post, Musk bluntly warned Gates, “If you haven’t closed out that crazy short position against Tesla after ~8 years, you’d better do it soon.” The post came in response to a comment about the Gates Foundation selling Microsoft stock, but Musk clearly had Tesla—and Gates’ bet against it—on his mind.
Let’s rewind for a moment. In 2022, Gates reportedly shorted Tesla’s stock to the tune of $500 million, a move that earned him a personal text from Musk and a frosty reception. Gates later revealed that Musk’s message was “super mean,” with the Tesla CEO questioning how Gates could take philanthropy on climate change seriously while betting against a company leading the charge in electric vehicles. Musk even took a jab at Gates’ weight in a now-infamous social media post, though Gates brushed it off, saying, “He’s super mean to so many people, so you can’t take it too personally.”
Here’s the kicker: Despite Musk’s animosity, Tesla’s stock has soared since the feud went public in April 2022, climbing at least 20%—and possibly more, depending on when Gates shorted the stock. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk, Gates was already underwater by $1.5 billion when Tesla’s stock was trading at $400 per share. As of Monday, it was hovering around $408. Ouch.
But why does this matter? Well, Musk’s net worth now stands at a jaw-dropping $431 billion, thanks in part to that unprecedented pay package. With Tesla shareholders backing him to the tune of $1 trillion in potential compensation, Musk is likely cementing his title as the world’s richest man for years to come. Meanwhile, Gates’ bet against Tesla looks increasingly like a costly miscalculation.
And this is where it gets even more intriguing: Is Gates’ short position a legitimate investment strategy, or a misguided move that undermines his own climate advocacy? Musk clearly thinks it’s the latter, but Gates insists it’s just part of diversifying his portfolio. What do you think? Is Musk justified in calling out Gates, or is he overstepping? Let’s spark a debate—drop your thoughts in the comments below!
