Aclash of the tech titans may be brewing after Bill Gates criticized Elon Musk this weekend, branding some of his comments “insane s***” and warning that he has the power to “destabilize countries.”

Microsoft founder Gates, 69, made the comments about 53-year-old Musk, who runs a string of companies including Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter) during a British newspaper interview. Words attributed to Gates by The Times of London on Saturday suggest that he doesn’t approve of Musk’s meddling in politics in the U.S. and around the world. He appeared to imply Musk, the world’s richest man, should use his wealth and power to “help out” rather than embark upon right-wing “populist stirring.”

Newsweek has reached out by email to representatives for both Gates and Musk seeking comment on the report.

Bill Gates speaks onstage at an event at the Paris Theater on September 26, 2024, in New York City. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix

Why It Matters

As billionaires and major American employers, both men wield significant lobbying power. Both men are politically engaged. While Gates donated $50 million to Future Forward USA Action, a non-profit that supported former Vice President Kamala Harris‘s 2024 presidential campaign, Musk has campaigned for change by supporting right-wing movements across Europe and by backing President Donald Trump‘s second bid for the White House.

What To Know

Gates lashing out at Musk comes at a time when both men are seeking the ear of the new president—who is himself a business mogul turned politician.

Gates had a three-hour dinner meeting with Trump recently and said they had discussed global diseases and vaccines.

Musk has been rewarded for his campaign support—famously giving away $1 million per day to Trump voters—with a role in Trump’s administration as head of a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

DOGE’s brief is to ensure efficiency and cut spending within the federal government. This role may put him at odds with those who are seeking funding or support from government agencies. Musk has vowed to find more than $2 trillion in savings, which equates to around a third of annual federal government spending.

Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk speaks during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

What People Are Saying

When Times journalist Alice Thomson asked Gates whether he wished he had been as overtly political as Musk, he replied: “Not at all.”

He also appeared baffled by the range and scope of the issues that Musk is concerned about.

In recent months, Musk has shared his views on a grooming scandal in the U.K., as well as backed hard-right European political parties such as Reform U.K. in the United Kingdom and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He has also been outspoken about his views on migration and fears that declining birth rates in the West will lead to a “mass extinction.”

“I thought the rules of the game were you picked a finite number of things to spout about that you cared for, focused on a few critical things, rather than telling people who they should vote for,” Gates said. He said: “For me, it’s only ever about aid. I did think Brexit was a mistake, but I wasn’t tweeting every day.”

The journalist suggested that Gates bristled when he was compared to Musk. “I’m ultra-different,” he said. “It’s really insane that he can destabilize the political situations in countries. I think in the U.S. foreigners aren’t allowed to give money; other countries maybe should adopt safeguards to make sure super-rich foreigners aren’t distorting their elections. It’s difficult to understand why someone who has a car factory in both China and in Germany, whose rocket business is ultra-dependent on relationships with sovereign nations and who is busy cutting $2 trillion in U.S. government expenses and running five companies, is obsessing about this grooming story in the U.K. I’m like, what?”

He criticized Musk’s support of the hard right. “You want to promote the right wing but say [Reform UK leader and Brexit campaigner] Nigel Farage is not right-wing enough… I mean, this is insane s***. You are for the AfD […] If someone is super-smart, and he is, they should think how they can help out. But this is populist stirring.”

What Happens Next

Musk has not yet publicly responded to Gates’ comments.

As Musk begins his new role at DOGE, Gates will be hoping that Trump will remain receptive to his non-profit Gates Foundation’s aims.