Elon Musk Targets Bill Gates Over Long Tesla Short - “Close It Soon”

Elon Musk has reignited a long-standing feud with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, this time publicly demanding that Gates close out his short position on Tesla. According to Musk, if Gates hasn’t already “fully closed out the crazy short position … he had better do so soon.”

Musk’s latest jab comes amid renewed speculation about Gates’s financial bets against Tesla, a company that Musk leads as CEO. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk warns that the short position — reportedly held for nearly eight years — could lead to significant consequences.

Their rivalry dates back to at least 2022, when leaked text messages revealed Musk confronted Gates directly about his short bets. In those exchanged messages, Musk asked: “Do you still have a half-billion dollar short position against Tesla?” Gates reportedly responded, “Sorry to say I haven’t closed it out.”

Musk has long criticized Gates for what he calls hypocrisy: in a past exchange, Musk said he could not “take your philanthropy on climate change seriously” when Gates was simultaneously betting against Tesla — the very company he often praised for its green mission. 

Adding to the drama, Musk has warned that once Tesla achieves full autonomy and mass production of its Optimus robots, anyone still holding a short position will be “obliterated. Even Gates.”

Observers say Musk’s public pressure is a clear signal: he is not just defending Tesla’s future, but also making a pointed critique of Gates’s investment strategy and public image. Whether Gates will publicly respond or quietly close out his short bet remains to be seen — but for now, the spotlight is firmly back on their billionaire spat.

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