In a recent Twitter exchange, Elon Musk sparked controversy by likening Bill Gates to an emoji representing transgender individuals.
It appears that this tension between the two stems from a previous exchange that left Elon feeling angry.
On Friday, the CEO of Tesla posted a tweet insulting the co-founder of Microsoft.
He shared a side-by-side photo of Bill Gates alongside an emoji depicting a pregnant man.
This particular emoji was recently introduced to promote inclusivity for trans men.
Elon's caption accompanying the photo read, “in case u need to lose a b***r fast.”
Following this initial tweet, Elon jokingly shared another post featuring images of cloaked figures gathered in a circle.
He wrote, “shadow ban council reviewing tweet…” This suggests that Elon was aware his original tweet might be deemed offensive.
It is also likely connected to his ongoing attempt to acquire Twitter.
While some people were initially perplexed by Elon's jab at Bill Gates, leaked text messages between the two shed light on the situation.
According to reports, Bill Gates reached out to Elon Musk to discuss philanthropy related to climate change.
However, Elon asked him if he still held a half-billion-dollar short position on Tesla's stock.
Bill confirmed that he had not closed his short position, prompting Elon to tell him to “get lost.”
The veracity of these texts remains unverified, but Elon himself confirmed their authenticity.
He mentioned that they were leaked to The New York Times by acquaintances of acquaintances.
Elon added, “I heard from multiple people at TED that Gates still had a half billion short against Tesla, which is why I asked him, so it's not exactly top secret.”
Upon examining the text messages, it becomes evident that Elon and Bill were engaged in a conversation about setting up a meeting.
Bill expressed interest in discussing philanthropy and climate change.
However, before delving into those topics, Elon confronted him directly, questioning whether he was shorting Tesla's stock.
Elon's frustration stems from the fact that Bill is betting against Tesla's stock and anticipating a decline in its value.
Elon argues that Tesla is actively working to combat climate change by investing in sustainable energy.
Therefore, he views Bill's position as hypocritical.
The exchange between Elon Musk and Bill Gates highlights the tension and differing perspectives within the tech industry.
While their
