Rich Welsh| Elon Musk, the richest man in the world worth approximately $270 billion, and Bill Gates, who is worth approximately $130 billion, are revealing that the rivalry doesn’t stop at which billionaire has the deepest pockets. Musk found out that creepy Gates was trying to short Musk’s company, Tesla, so the SpaceX CEO cut off ties with the Microsoft co-founder.
Leaked text messages reveal a dialogue between the two billionaires that doesn’t end well. The conversation started out as a philanthropic opportunity but wound up with Musk telling Gates to talk a long walk on a short pier.
Screenshots of an alleged text message conversation between Gates and Musk were shared on Twitter by an account named “Whole Mars Catalog.”
The text messages start with Gates organizing a meeting with Musk to consider philanthropy on the cottage watermelon industry of climate change. Gates sends a text to confirm a day and time to meet with Musk over an opportunity. Musk responded, “Great.” Gates then texted Musk telling him that he “just landed.” Musk responded, “Cool.”
Musk then reportedly sent a text to Gates, “Do you still have a half billion dollar short position against Tesla?”
Gates answered, “Sorry to say I haven’t closed it out.” YIKES!
“I would like to discuss philanthropy possibilities,” Gates then texted to Musk.
Musk then shut down the entire meeting because Gates was speculating against Musk’s company, Tesla.
“Sorry, but 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,” Musk allegedly shot back.
So apparently Bill Gates hit up @elonmusk to discuss “philanthropy on climate change” but Elon asked if he still had a half billion dollar short position on $TSLA.
Bill said he hasn’t closed it out, so Elon told him to get lost. No idea if this is true lol pic.twitter.com/iuHkDG3bAd
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) April 22, 2022
When asked if the text messages between him and Gates were genuine, Musk said they were, and also noted that he did not leak them to anyone.
Musk replied to the inquiry.
“Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends. I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it’s not exactly top secret.”
Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends.
I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it’s not exactly top secret.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2022
A short position is when a trader sells a security and intends to buy it back or covering it later at a lower price. Investopedia says, “A trader may decide to short a security when she believes that the price of that security is likely to decrease in the near future.”
Musk mentioned Gates shorting Tesla stock back in February when he appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast show.
“I heard that at one point he had a large short position,” Musk told host Joe Rogan. “I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it seems weird.”
Musk said, “People I know, who know the situation pretty well, I asked them, ‘Are you sure?’ And they said, ‘Yes, he has a huge short position on Tesla.’ That didn’t work out too well.”
Musk showed he has a sense of humor when he trolled Gates with a screenshot of the Microsoft co-founder with a pregnant man emoji.
in case u need to lose a boner fast pic.twitter.com/fcHiaXKCJi
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 23, 2022
Rogan once made fun of Gates gaining weight while he was going off on fake meat, saying of Gates, “And by the way, you look like s**t. If you’re eating those plant-based burgers or whatever the f*** you’re doing, you’re obese.”
“A guy like that telling people about — he’s got these breasts, and this gut, and I’m like, this is crazy,” Rogan said, adding, “You’re one of the richest guys on earth. You have access to the best nutrients … you could have an amazing trainer. You could be in phenomenal shape, and you’re giving out public health advice … and you’re sick.”
Rogan then asked how Gates could give anyone health advice when he looks so unhealthy.
