Bill Gates reportedly acknowledged Elon Musk’s past criticism, revealing that the tech billionaire was “super mean” to him after he admitted to shorting Tesla Inc. TSLA, while the latter suggested that the Microsoft co-founder might still hold a “massive bet” against the electric vehicle company.
What Happened: On Monday, Benzinga reported about the origins of the feud between two of the world’s most prominent tech figures, Musk and Gates, traced back to early 2022 when the Microsoft co-founder admitted to shorting Tesla stock, resulting in a substantial $1.5 billion loss on his part, citing excerpts from a new biography written by Walter Isaacson.
Musk, known for his strong aversion to short-sellers, viewed this move as a direct challenge to his mission of promoting sustainable energy.
More information from the biography has revealed Musk’s reaction to Gates’ shorting decision. He disclosed that Musk was notably angry, stating, “Once he heard I’d shorted the stock, he was super mean to me. But he’s super mean to so many people, so you can’t take it too personally.”
Responding to Gates’ “super mean” comment revelation, Musk took to Twitter, now rebranded as X, and said that short positions yield profits only when a company goes bankrupt and accused the tech giant co-founder of effectively betting on Tesla’s failure during a vulnerable period in the company’s history.
Musk added a provocative twist, suggesting that Gates might still maintain this “massive bet” against Tesla, stating, “Someone should ask him if he does.”
The Tesla CEO did not stop there, expressing his astonishment at what he perceived as a lack of self-awareness and hypocrisy on Gates’ part. He highlighted the irony of Gates requesting donations for environmental causes while allegedly aiming to profit from Tesla’s potential demise.
Why It’s Important: Previously, in 2022, after the chat between Musk and Gates was leaked, the former Microsoft CEO had said, “Somebody shorting his stock doesn’t slow him down or hurt him in any way.”
Although, Gates also admitted that Musk has “done a great job” with Tesla.
Photo courtesy: Thomas Hawk on Flickr
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