After Elon Musk’s ‘Half-Indian Partner’ Defence, Vinod Khosla Hits Back in Online Feud

The public spat between Indian-American billionaire Vinod Khosla and Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has escalated once again, with both tech leaders trading sharp remarks over allegations of racism, political ideology, and personal conduct on social media.

The latest exchange was triggered after Musk responded to claims that he promotes racially charged narratives by referencing the Indian heritage of his partner, Shivon Zills. Musk argued that accusations of racism were unfounded, noting that Zills is of Indian descent and that one of their children is named after renowned Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.

Khosla, however, rejected the defence and urged Musk to avoid what he described as “seemingly racist” commentary online. The Indian-origin venture capitalist said that invoking family background did not address concerns raised about Musk’s public remarks on demographics, race, and immigration. He further challenged Musk to clearly state that he was not advocating for an ideology centred on racial dominance or exclusion.

The feud between the two billionaires has been simmering for months, often reigniting over political and social issues. Khosla has previously accused Musk of attempting to normalise racially divisive narratives under the banner of “WAGA,” or “White America Great Again,” a phrase he has used to criticise Musk’s commentary on declining white birth rates and demographic shifts in the United States.

Musk responded aggressively to the accusation, dismissing Khosla’s claims and drawing attention to the long-running legal dispute involving Martins Beach in California. He accused Khosla of hypocrisy, referring to lawsuits filed by the investor that sought to restrict public access to the beach adjacent to his private property.

In his counter-response, Khosla defended his actions, stating that the matter was about protecting private property rights rather than denying public access to public land. He claimed that court rulings had repeatedly upheld that there was no legal provision for unrestricted access through private property, and accused regulatory authorities of delaying hearings to avoid judicial scrutiny. Despite the sharp language exchanged, Khosla acknowledged Musk’s entrepreneurial achievements, describing them as extraordinary.

The clash also reflects deeper ideological differences between the two Silicon Valley heavyweights. In the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election, Musk openly supported Donald Trump and encouraged other influential figures to align with his political preferences. Khosla declined to endorse any candidate he believed lacked core values or displayed hostility toward immigrants.

Beyond politics, Khosla has also commented on Musk’s ongoing legal dispute with OpenAI, a company Musk helped co-found before exiting. Khosla has suggested that Musk’s lawsuit against the organisation stems from frustration over losing influence on its direction rather than principled concerns.

The latest exchange underscores how personal, political, and ideological disagreements continue to play out publicly among some of the world’s most influential technology leaders, with no signs of the rivalry cooling anytime soon.