In a rare serious moment with satire site The Babylon Bee, Elon Musk tackled criticism about his fortune head-on. When asked whether he feels guilty for being wealthy, Musk explained his net worth—over $200 billion—was tied to Tesla and SpaceX stock, not piles of cash. “If the companies fail, I go bankrupt,” he said. “I haven’t sold my shares—I believe the captain should go down with the ship.”
Facing criticism from figures like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who accused him of freeloading, Musk responded: “I’m literally paying the most tax any individual in history has ever paid.” He denied using tax shelters or offshore accounts, even claiming he could do his taxes solo—just a few hours with a calculator and coffee.
Though he admitted paying no income tax in 2018, it was because he had no income that year and had overpaid in 2017. Musk emphasized, “Unless I sell stock, there’s no mechanism to pay tax.” So, he asked Twitter if he should sell 10% of Tesla shares to cover his taxes. The public said yes—he complied.
Critics demanded more giving back, but Musk countered by pointing to Tesla and SpaceX’s impact: advancing sustainable transport and revolutionizing space exploration. “We’ve launched more payloads than anyone. These companies have done useful things.”
Musk refused to portray himself as a hoarder or villain. “I own 20% of a company external investors valued highly. That’s all.” His message: wealth isn’t evil if it fuels innovation.
