Did Elon Musk and Vinod Khosla Have a Clash Over ‘White People’ on Social Media?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Jan 28 (NationPress) An intense dispute unfolded on social media between Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla after Musk remarked about the decreasing global population percentage of white individuals.
In response, Khosla accused the billionaire entrepreneur of endorsing a WAGA agenda—short for ‘white America great again’—instead of the MAGA slogan (Make America Great Again).
Khosla, known as a significant player in Silicon Valley, urged non-white employees from Musk’s enterprises to consider joining his firm.
“All non-whites in Tesla and SpaceX and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your LinkedIn!” Khosla declared.
Musk fired back at Khosla, labeling him as “pompous,” and pointed out that his partner is of half-Indian descent.
“You’ve also gone full r***rd. My partner, Shivon, is half Indian, and my eldest son with her is named after the esteemed Indian physicist Chandrasekhar,” Musk commented on the social media platform X.
This controversy followed Musk's earlier endorsement of a post suggesting that white men could face existential threats if they became a minority.
Musk's reaction, represented by a “100” emoji, was widely perceived as a nod of agreement with that sentiment.
He has articulated his views on immigration as concerns about public safety, economic pressure, and social unity, rather than focusing on race.
The owner of Tesla previously stated that the United States has “benefited immensely” from the contributions of skilled individuals from India who have significantly contributed to the technology and business sectors.
He noted that individuals of Indian origin, particularly engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs, have made substantial impacts and continue to do so across various industries.
Musk emphasized the importance of the H‑1B visa program to the U.S. economy, cautioning that some businesses have “gamed the system,” pointing out that the issue lies in misuse and not the program itself.
Addressing fears regarding immigrants taking jobs from American citizens, Musk explained that his companies face challenges in finding highly skilled talent, and global expertise aids in closing that gap.