Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, two of the world’s wealthiest individuals and longstanding rivals, exchanged words on Thursday over Musk’s unsubstantiated claim that Bezos encouraged people to sell Tesla and SpaceX stock ahead of the presidential election, CBS News and Forbes report.
The latest spat highlights the ongoing friction between the billionaires, whose rivalry spans business, space exploration, and now, political allegiances.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of the social media platform X, alleged in a post that Bezos, founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post, told others that now President-elect Donald Trump would “for sure” lose the election and advised selling shares in Musk’s companies. Musk claimed he learned of this at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort but provided no evidence or details about who relayed the information or where Bezos allegedly made the comments.
Bezos quickly denied the claim, responding directly on X:
“Nope. 100% not true.”
Musk replied, “I stand corrected,” seemingly diffusing the situation but not before the incident fueled speculation and media attention.
The rivalry between Musk and Bezos is well-documented, with clashes over everything from space exploration—between Musk’s SpaceX and Bezos’ Blue Origin—to their respective net worths. Musk, currently the world’s richest person with an estimated fortune of over $317 billion, often takes jabs at Bezos, whose net worth stands at $217 billion. Musk once quipped about sending Bezos a silver medal for coming in second on the billionaires’ list.
The billionaires also differ in their approaches to politics and public personas. Musk has become increasingly vocal in supporting Trump and conservative causes, while Bezos, though not an open critic of Trump, has faced scrutiny over his decisions, such as The Washington Post‘s controversial lack of endorsement in the presidential race.
This latest feud occurs as Musk grows more involved in political matters, assisting Trump with efforts to streamline federal spending through a new agency. Meanwhile, Bezos has taken steps to maintain neutrality, which critics argue is a strategy to avoid antagonizing Trump, especially given Amazon’s interests in government contracts.
The Musk-Bezos rivalry extends beyond their businesses and politics, with the two frequently trading barbs. Bezos has questioned Musk’s aspirations for colonizing Mars, while Musk often criticizes Bezos’ management of Blue Origin. These public disputes underscore the competitive dynamic between the tech moguls, whose influence shapes multiple industries.
