Elon Musk called Bill Gates “categorically insane” in a message to biographer Walter Isaacson after a dispute over Gates’s reported short position in Tesla. The disagreement reportedly surfaced during a March 2022 meeting at Tesla’s Austin gigafactory, where Gates had planned to discuss philanthropy. Musk later confirmed that a screenshot of his texts with Gates was genuine, but the cited reporting does not independently establish the short’s exact terms or current status.
What sparked the dispute between Musk and Gates?
According to GeekWire’s account of Walter Isaacson’s biography Elon Musk, the two men met at Tesla’s Austin gigafactory in March 2022. Gates had planned to discuss philanthropy and projects he could support, but the conversation reportedly turned sour when his Tesla short position came up. A short position is a bet that a stock’s price will fall.
GeekWire reported that Isaacson’s account put Gates’s loss at about $1.5 billion by the time of that meeting, after Tesla shares rose. That is a retrospective estimate attributed to Isaacson’s account, not a verified account statement or a figure for Gates’s finances today. GeekWire’s September 12, 2023 report recounts the episode and quotes both men.
Gates reportedly apologized. Describing Musk’s reaction, he said: “Once he heard I’d shorted the stock, he was super mean to me. But he’s super mean to so many people, so you can’t take it too personally.”
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What did Musk mean by “categorically insane”?
GeekWire reported that the two exchanged texts the following month, when Gates tried to restart the philanthropy discussion. After that exchange, Musk sent Isaacson a message saying: “At this point, I am convinced that he is categorically insane (and an a–hole to the core).” He added: “I did actually want to like him (sigh).” The remark was reportedly sent privately to Isaacson; it became public through reporting on the biography.
Did Musk confirm the leaked texts were real?
Yes. In April 2022, Musk confirmed that a screenshot of texts between him and Gates was genuine, while denying that he had leaked it to The New York Times. As quoted in a Fortune article republishing Bloomberg reporting, Musk said: “Yeah, but I didn’t leak it to NYT. They must have got it through friends of friends.” He also said he had heard that Gates still had a half-billion-dollar Tesla short. That was Musk’s stated understanding, not independent confirmation of the position’s size or status. Fortune’s April 23, 2022 article reports his confirmation and explanation.
What is known—and not established—about Gates’s Tesla short?
The published accounts describe a reported short position, but they do not establish its exact structure, duration, or current status. The figures in the coverage refer to different claims and should not be treated as interchangeable:
| Figure | What the reporting says | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| About $1.5 billion | GeekWire recounts Isaacson’s estimate of Gates’s loss by the March 2022 meeting, after Tesla shares rose. | A historical estimate attributed to Isaacson’s account; not independently verified in the cited coverage or a current loss figure. |
| Half a billion dollars | Musk said in April 2022 that he had heard Gates still had a Tesla short of this size. | Musk’s reported understanding, not independent verification of the position. |
| $500 million | Musk alleged in September 2023 that Gates was aiming to make this amount from Tesla’s demise. | An allegation attributed to Musk, not an established prospective gain or outcome. |
Why Musk criticized Gates publicly in 2023
On September 11, 2023, Musk publicly criticized Gates over the short position and the request for philanthropy support. In the remarks reproduced by GeekWire, Musk claimed Gates was aiming to make $500 million from Tesla’s demise. That claim should be understood as Musk’s allegation; the report does not establish that amount as Gates’s actual position or profit.
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