Topline
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, shared on social media Thursday that he and Jeff Bezos, the planet’s second-wealthiest individual, appear to have reconciled. The two billionaires, often at odds, both oversaw major rocket launches this week at their respective private aerospace companies, just a month after dining together at Mar-a-Lago.
Key Facts
- Musk initiated the exchange early Thursday morning by congratulating Bezos on Blue Origin’s successful launch of its New Glenn rocket into orbit, posting the message on his social media platform, X.
- Bezos responded in kind later that afternoon, wishing Musk success with SpaceX’s scheduled Starship rocket launch. Musk then launched into a series of humorous and meme-filled posts.
- Musk shared two clips from the 2008 comedy film Step Brothers, starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, which humorously depicted the evolving dynamic between the billionaires.
- In one clip, Ferrell’s character asks Reilly’s, “Did we just become best friends?” Musk captioned it as the “perfect meme” for his relationship with Bezos.
- Musk also posted a scene from the movie’s iconic “Catalina Wine Mixer” moment, joking it was “actual footage” of him and Bezos.
- Additionally, Musk shared a 2004 photo of himself and Bezos together, taken when Amazon was valued at less than $20 billion and Tesla had not yet gone public.
Forbes Valuations
Musk boasts a net worth of $426 billion, surpassing Bezos’ $235 billion by nearly $190 billion, according to Forbes’ latest estimates. Approximately 90% of Bezos’ wealth derives from his 10% stake in Amazon, while Musk’s fortune is tied to his leading roles in Tesla, SpaceX, and the generative AI startup xAI.
Key Background
Musk’s lighthearted interaction with Bezos follows recent tensions. Less than two months ago, Musk accused Bezos of advising people to sell Tesla and SpaceX stock, claiming the Amazon founder predicted Donald Trump would lose the 2024 election—claims Bezos firmly denied. The rivalry between the two billionaires has a storied history. Musk, who surpassed Bezos as the world’s richest person in 2021, once joked he planned to send Bezos a silver medal. Last month, Musk, Bezos, and Trump dined together at Mar-a-Lago, and all three, along with Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to sit together at Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Surprising Fact
Bezos isn’t the only billionaire Musk has jokingly referred to as his “best friend.” In November, Musk tweeted he was “happy to be first buddy” of Trump.
