Elon Musk hits back at Vinod Khosla after “WAGA” accusation

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla traded sharp words online this week, in the latest high-profile clash highlighting deepening political divides in Silicon Valley.

The exchange unfolded on Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter), after Khosla accused the tech billionaire of promoting a racially exclusionary vision of America. Khosla urged “non-white” employees at Tesla, X and SpaceX, along with what he called “decent white” staff, to leave and consider jobs at companies backed by his firm, Khosla Ventures.

Khosla also took aim at the “Make America Great Again” movement, saying Musk’s views were closer to what he described as “WAGA,” or “White America Great Again.”

.@elonmusk doesn't want MAGA, he wants WAGA or "white America great again" as a racism is great and desirable" paradigm. All non-whites in @tesla, @SpaceX @X etc and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your linkedin! https://t.co/NmbM19AnnC

— Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) January 27, 2026

The row was triggered by a Musk post from late 2025 that resurfaced this week, in which he said white people are becoming a shrinking share of the global population. Khosla said such statements place race above merit and warned that the tech industry is facing a “moral test.”

He accused Musk of presenting racism as a desirable framework.

Musk rejected the claims and responded bluntly. He pointed to Khosla’s past attempt to restrict public access to a beach near his home and used that incident to question Khosla’s own record.

Musk also cited his personal life in response to the accusations, noting that his partner, Shivon Zilis, is of Indian descent. He added that his eldest son’s middle name, Sekhar, was chosen in honour of Nobel Prize–winning Indian-American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar 

Vinod, you’re not just such a pompous asshole that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, you’ve also gone full retard.

My partner, Shivon, is half Indian and my eldest son with her is named in honor of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2026

The public dispute underscores a widening split among tech leaders over immigration, race and the role of Big Tech in shaping society, as Silicon Valley becomes increasingly vocal and divided on political issues.