Musk: "My Money Is Funding Humanity's Planetary Migration"…Direct Rebuttal to Greed Criticism

Sanders: "Musk and Bezos Have More Wealth Than the Bottom 40%"
Musk: "Ignorant and Absurd Attack... Only Stock Value Increased"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Bernie Sanders, chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee for the Democratic Party, criticized Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, on social media for his enormous wealth, calling it "greedy." In response, Musk directly refuted the claim, explaining that his wealth is funding humanity's migration to other planets and that his fortune is temporary, resulting from the rise in stock value.

According to foreign media including Business Insider, on the 21st (local time), Musk tweeted, "I am accumulating wealth for the purpose of helping life migrate to multiple other planets," and added, "My money is being used to expand humanity's consciousness toward space," directly countering Sanders' accusation of greed regarding his assets.

Musk posted this comment in response to an article by Cleantechnica, a U.S. electric vehicle and energy specialized media outlet that represented his position. The article explained that Tesla's vast wealth is not in cash or real estate but in the increased value of Tesla stock he holds. It criticized Sanders for being ignorant of stock price fluctuations based on investor decisions or for using clumsy methods to convey a political message.

Earlier, Sanders had tweeted, "We are at a moment in American history where the wealth of two entrepreneurs, Musk and Bezos, exceeds that of the entire bottom 40%," and fiercely condemned, "Such levels of greed and inequality are not only immoral but unsustainable." Regarding Musk's rebuttal, Sanders also pointed out, "Space travel is an interesting idea, but right now we need to focus on Earth and create an improved tax system," adding, "Only then can children avoid hunger, people avoid homelessness, and everyone access healthcare."

Sanders' offensive drew attention amid the Biden administration's push for comprehensive tax increases, including raising corporate taxes. Previously, President Joe Biden, during his presidential campaign in November last year, pledged to raise the U.S. corporate tax rate from the current 21% to 28%, and to secure a stimulus budget through increased taxes on high-income financial income and inheritance, thereby increasing taxes on the wealthy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.