‘Try not tweeting seemingly racist stuff?’ Khosla fires back after Musk’s ‘pompous a***e' jab

Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla accused Elon Musk of “seemingly” racist rhetoric and defended his record on Martins Beach, citing multiple court rulings. (Courtesy: Reuters)

• Vinod Khosla urges Elon Musk to avoid posting "seemingly" racist content
• Khosla clarifies he defends private property, not privatizing Martins Beach
• Khosla ends by praising Musk's entrepreneurial skills despite personal insults

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Indian-American billionaire investor Vinod Khosla on Tuesday delivered a pointed rebuttal to Elon Musk, urging him to avoid posting “seemingly” racist content and to clearly state that he is not advocating a white-majority vision for the United States.

“Instead of bringing your family into it, maybe try not tweeting ‘seemingly’ racist stuff next time?” Khosla wrote on X, adding that many would appreciate Musk acknowledging that racism is not behind his repeated comments on white birth rates and declining population share, and that he is not promoting what Khosla described as “WAGA”.

Instead of bringing your family into it, maybe try not tweeting “SEEMINGLY” racist stuff next time? Many would appreciate it if you acknowledge you are not trying to establish a white society in America, and are not WAGA, and racism isn’t behind your many laments around white… https://t.co/0beAe5tDUN

— Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) January 28, 2026

Khosla’s response followed Musk’s earlier post claiming that White people are becoming a shrinking minority globally, a remark that drew accusations of racial framing. Musk had rejected those charges and countered by attacking Khosla over alleged attempts to block public access to a beach near his home, while also invoking his family ties to India.

The exchange quickly turned personal, with Musk using abusive language to describe Khosla, intensifying an already fraught online feud.

Addressing Musk’s long-standing criticism over Martins Beach, Khosla said he was defending the principle of private property, not seeking to privatise a public shoreline. He argued that every court ruling so far in the Friends of Martin Beach case, including appeals, has affirmed there has never been free public access across private property, only paid access for parking, while the beach itself remains public.

“I’ve never asserted it isn’t public property,” Khosla said, accusing Musk of ignoring established facts and court findings.

Khosla also alleged procedural delays by the California Coastal Commission, saying courts have denied his petition to close a gate not because he lacks the right, but because the commission has not formally ruled on the issue. He claimed the absence of a hearing prevents him from gaining legal recourse, keeping the dispute unresolved for years.

While conceding he could not disprove Musk’s insults directed at him, Khosla ended his response on a conciliatory note of sorts, saying he has publicly admired Musk’s “extraordinary entrepreneurial skills.”