Jeff Bezos denies Musk's claim on Tesla stock advice: '100% not true'

The rivalry between Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has once again come into the spotlight. Musk recently claimed on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that Bezos had advised people to sell their Tesla and SpaceX shares, predicting Donald Trump's electoral defeat. Bezos, however, firmly denied the allegation in a direct response.

In a post on X, Musk wrote, "Just learned tonight at Mar-a-Lago that Jeff Bezos was telling everyone that @realDonaldTrump would lose for sure, so they should sell all their Tesla and SpaceX stock." Musk did not elaborate further on who might have been present or the context of the conversation.

Bezos quickly responded with a simple, “Nope. 100% not true.” Musk, in turn, replied, “Well, then, I stand corrected,” adding a laughter emoji.

The public exchange is another chapter in the often-tense relationship between the two billionaires, who are also rivals in the aerospace and tech industries. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk currently ranks as the richest person in the world with a net worth of $331 billion, while Bezos is second with $226 billion. The two have often traded places on the list over the years.

Their rivalry extends far beyond social media posts. Musk’s SpaceX has a leading position in the commercial space industry and operates the Starlink satellite internet service.

Bezos, through Blue Origin, competes in space exploration and space tourism. Amazon, founded by Bezos, also backs Project Kuiper, a satellite network competing with Starlink. Furthermore, Amazon is a major investor in Rivian Automotive Inc., a competitor to Tesla in the electric vehicle market.

The backdrop to this feud includes Tesla’s strong performance in recent weeks. The company's shares have surged by over 30% since the November 5 US election, boosting Musk's net worth to more than $340 billion.

This rise comes amid Musk's prominent association with US President-elect Donald Trump. Musk has reportedly spent over $130 million on Trump’s campaign, with some commentators dubbing him the "First Buddy."