Elon Musk and Vinod Khosla Engage in Heated Online Argument
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently had a fiery exchange with Vinod Khosla, a prominent venture capitalist, on social media. This incident reflects the growing political rifts within Silicon Valley.
The confrontation occurred on Musk’s platform X (formerly known as Twitter), initiated when Khosla accused Musk of advocating for a racially exclusive perspective on America. Khosla urged employees of colour at Tesla, X, and SpaceX, alongside what he termed “respectable white” staff, to consider leaving their positions and exploring opportunities at companies associated with Khosla Ventures.
Furthermore, Khosla scrutinised the “Make America Great Again” movement, arguing that Musk’s ideology resembled what he labelled “WAGA,” or “White America Great Again.”
.@elonmusk doesn’t want MAGA, he wants WAGA or “white America great again” as a racism is great and desirable paradigm. All non-whites in @tesla, @SpaceX @X etc and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your LinkedIn!
The discord was ignited by a post from Musk in late 2025, which resurfaced this week. In the post, Musk remarked on the declining percentage of white people in the global population. Khosla contended that such comments elevate race over merit, cautioning that the tech sector is undergoing a “moral test.”
Khosla accused Musk of framing racism as an acceptable paradigm.
Musk denied these allegations and responded assertively, challenging Khosla’s own record by referencing a previous incident where Khosla attempted to limit public access to a beach near his residence.
In his response, Musk also mentioned his personal life, highlighting that his partner, Shivon Zilis, is of Indian heritage. He pointed out that the middle name of his eldest son, Sekhar, was chosen to pay tribute to the esteemed Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.
Vinod, you’re not just a pompous individual for trying to prevent the public from accessing a beach near your home, you’ve also displayed a lack of understanding. My partner, Shivon, is half Indian, and my eldest son is named in honour of the distinguished physicist Chandrasekhar.
This public altercation highlights the growing divide among technology leaders regarding immigration, race, and the significant role of Big Tech in influencing societal norms, as discussions in Silicon Valley become more pronounced and polarised.