By TOI Tech Desk
Publication Date: 2026-02-26 03:34:00
Elon Musk and Bill Gates are two of the most well-known names in the global technology and business world, but they are also known for not getting along with each other. Their disagreements which have played out over the years, resurfaced again when Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted to a social media post linking Tesla short sellers to those lacking ethics and morality. “I’ve often found that Tesla short sellers don’t have the best moral compass,” an X user wrote quoting a New York Times report about Bill Gates apologizing to Gates Foundation staff over Jeffrey Epstein ties and admitting having affairs with two Russian women. Elon Musk replied with a brief comment — “Karma is real” — to the post.
Bill Gates’ bet against Tesla
The rivalry between the two originates from Bill Gates reportedly shorting, or betting against, Tesla’s stock to the tune of $500 million. In an interview with Musk biographer Walter Isaacson, Gates revealed that this earned him a personal text…
