NEW DELHI, India — A public exchange between SpaceX founder Elon Musk and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla unfolded on social media after Musk commented on the declining global population share of white people, sparking accusations and sharp rebuttals.
Khosla responded by accusing Musk of promoting what he described as a “WAGA,” or “white America great again,” agenda, rather than the MAGA movement. The Silicon Valley investor went further by urging non-white employees at Musk’s companies to leave and join firms in Khosla’s investment portfolio.
“All non-whites in Tesla and SpaceX and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your LinkedIn!” Khosla wrote in a post.
Musk fired back, calling Khosla “pompous” and rejecting the accusation. He said his partner is half Indian and noted that his eldest son with her was named in honor of Indian physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.
“You’ve also gone full r***rd. My partner, Shivon, is half Indian, and my eldest son with her is named in honour of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar,” Musk wrote on X.
The dispute follows an earlier controversy this month in which Musk appeared to endorse a post suggesting white men could face existential risk if they became a minority. Musk responded to that post with a “100” emoji, which many interpreted as an expression of support.
Musk has previously said his views on migration are rooted in concerns about public safety, economic strain, and social cohesion rather than race. He has also repeatedly acknowledged the contributions of immigrants, particularly those of Indian origin, to the U.S. economy.
The Tesla chief has said the United States has “benefited immensely” from talented Indians who have helped build its technology and business sectors, noting that Indian-origin engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs continue to make major contributions across industries.
Musk has described the H-1B visa program as vital to the U.S. economy, while arguing that some companies have misused the system. He has also said his own companies often struggle to find highly skilled workers domestically and rely on global talent to fill critical gaps. (Source: IANS)
