L-R: Tesla chief Elon Musk; Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla / Courtesy: Wikipedia; X/@vkhosla
Indian-American billionaire Vinod Khosla has accused Tesla chief Elon Musk of promoting racism, triggering a public exchange between the two on social media.
The exchange took place on X on Jan. 27, after Khosla reposted a Sept. 2025 comment by Musk stating that “White people are a rapidly diminishing minority of global population.” Responding to that post, Khosla said Musk “doesn’t want MAGA, he wants WAGA or ‘white America great again,’” framing it as an endorsement of racism.
He further urged non-white employees at Tesla, SpaceX, and X, along with what he described as “decent whites,” to leave those companies and join firms backed by his investment portfolio.
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.@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! https://t.co/NmbM19AnnC
— Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) January 27, 2026
Musk responded directly, using strong language to criticize Khosla and referencing a long-running dispute over public access to a beach near Khosla’s California property. He rejected the racism allegation, noting that his partner is half Indian and that his eldest son is named after Indian physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.
Musk’s earlier comment referenced demographic data showing a decline in the white population in the United States since 2016, with projections indicating the trend will continue.
Vinod, you’re not just such a pompous asshole that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, you’ve also gone full retard.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2026
My partner, Shivon, is half Indian and my eldest son with her is named in honor of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar.
The dispute over the beach centers on Martins Beach in California, which Khosla purchased in 2008. Public access was restricted two years later, prompting legal action by the Surfrider Foundation. In 2017, a California appeals court ordered that access be restored up to the mean high tide line, citing state coastal law and longstanding public use.
Khosla, born in Pune in 1955, co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982 and later established Khosla Ventures, which invests in sectors including artificial intelligence, clean energy, and biotechnology.
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