Bill Gates Says Elon Musk Was 'Super Mean' After He Shorted Tesla Stock — 'But He's Super Mean to So Many People'

It started with a stock short and ended with memes, jabs, and one of the messiest billionaire feuds in recent memory.

Bill Gates isn’t new to criticism, but he didn’t expect a full-on cold war with Elon Musk. At least, not over Tesla. “Once he heard I’d shorted the stock, he was super mean to me,” Gates told Walter Isaacson, the author of Musk’s 2023 biography. Then came the part that made the quote instantly viral: “But he’s super mean to so many people, so you can’t take it too personally.”

Gates confirmed he had bet against Tesla stock—shorting it—and according to Isaacson, that revelation didn’t sit well with Musk. Text messages between the two billionaires, later confirmed by Musk himself, showed how quickly things soured. Musk asked Gates point-blank if he still held a “half billion dollar short position against Tesla.” Gates admitted, “Sorry to say I haven’t closed it yet. I would like to discuss philanthropy possibilities.”

Don’t Miss:

Musk didn’t hold back. “Sorry, I cannot take your philanthropy on climate change seriously when you have a massive short position against Tesla, the company doing the most to solve climate change,” he replied. Days later, Musk posted a meme mocking Gates’ weight and moved on—at least publicly.

But the drama didn’t stop.

By 2025, their rift had ballooned into something far bigger than stock positions or bad memes. It’s now a full-blown ideological clash, with Musk and Gates trading public blows over foreign aid, philanthropy, and how billionaires should use their wealth.

Trending: This AI-Powered Trading Platform Has 5,000+ Users, 27 Pending Patents, and a $43.97M Valuation — You Can Become an Investor for Just $500.25

In May, Gates accused Musk of harming the world’s most vulnerable. After Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency cut funding to programs like the U.S. Agency for International Development, Gates told reporters the decision “killed vulnerable children.” Musk shot back, calling the accusation false and referencing Gates’ ties to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying, “I wouldn’t trust that guy to babysit my kids.”

The feud escalated from there. Musk called USAID “beyond repair.” Gates fired back, defending it as “the best of the world’s development agencies.” While Gates pledged to give away nearly his entire $200 billion fortune by 2045, Musk continued slashing what he saw as bloated government spending—touting a “move fast, cut waste” approach that echoes his tech playbook.

And despite their public platforms and billionaire status, there’s been zero sign of reconciliation. In fact, their feud now shapes how the public debates government responsibility, philanthropy, and who gets to define “doing good.”

See Also: $100k+ in investable assets? Match with a fiduciary advisor for free to learn how you can maximize your retirement and save on taxes – no cost, no obligation.

Gates leans toward strategic, long-term investment in public health and education. Musk prefers disruption, arguing that bureaucracy and inefficiency do more harm than good. One believes in continuity. The other believes in chaos—at least if it saves money and speeds things up.

For now, they remain on opposite sides of almost everything—from aid policy to social media etiquette. Gates apologized to Musk about the Tesla shorting. The relationship didn’t recover. Instead, it evolved into a headline-grabbing standoff between two of the world’s richest men—and a reminder that even billionaires take things personally.

Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” Here’s how you can earn passive income with just $10.

Images: Shutterstock