‘A little bit of a d**k-measuring contest’: When Elon Musk, Bill Gates clashed over shorting of Tesla stocks

What would happen if Elon Musk and Bill Gates, both of whom have held the title of the world’s richest person at different times, meet in person and discuss business issues? Walter Isaacson’s forthcoming biography of Musk – “Elon Musk” – offers a candid insight into the intriguing meeting that took place in early 2022 between two tech titans. According to Isaacson’s book, this encounter was marked by passionate discussions about philanthropy, the feasibility of electric trucks, ambitious prospect of colonizing Mars, and heated exchanges over Gates‘ shorting Tesla stocks.
As per Isaacson’s account, the meeting took place at Musk’s Austin, Texas, plant, where Musk confronted Gates about his decision to short Tesla stock. Although Gates apologized for his actions, which cost him $1.5 billion, Musk remained upset and exhibited a harsh demeanor toward the Microsoft founder.
During Gates’ visit, Musk gave him a tour of his Austin factory, which left a positive impression on Gates. However, they still had significant disagreements to address.
When questioned by Isaacson about his reasons for shorting the stock, Gates simply expressed a desire to profit from it, a perspective that Isaacson found perplexing given Musk’s strong commitment to sustainability.
Grimes, Musk’s girlfriend and the mother of three of his children, characterized the incident as a “d**k-measuring contest.”
Gates also criticized Musk’s beliefs, including his confidence in solar energy’s ability to combat climate change and the feasibility of batteries powering semi-trucks. Gates was skeptical of Musk’s ambition to colonize Mars, considering it far-fetched.
The two clashed significantly on the topic of philanthropy, with Musk dismissing it as “bulls**t” and asserting that only a small portion of donated funds actually make an impact. Gates attempted to showcase several projects he had funded with $100 million, which had produced substantial results.
Gates, who ranks as the world’s third richest individual after Musk and Jeff Bezos, criticized Musk when Tesla announced a $1.5 billion investment in Bitcoin, expressing concern about Bitcoin’s volatility.
Gates had also previously questioned the viability of electric trucks like the Tesla Semi, a statement Musk rebutted during an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience. Musk claimed that he had heard that Gates had a substantial short position on Tesla stock at one point, which surprised him.
(With inputs from agencies)

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