'Hopefully you can get Trump to...': Indian origin billionaire Vinod Khosla asks Elon Musk to guide Trump

Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla recently congratulated Elon Musk on Donald Trump’s election win, using his post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to call on Musk to influence Trump’s policies. Khosla, who has backed prominent Democrats, including Kamala Harris, in the past, praised Musk’s potential role in shaping Trump’s administration and offered some advice on key issues he hopes Musk will push forward.

In his message, Khosla urged Musk to guide Trump towards sensible policies, including better regulation by the FDA, climate change action, and support for international allies like Ukraine. He also warned against what he called “kooky science” promoted by Trump supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine sceptic who may play a big role in Trump’s administration.

Khosla criticised Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling his science “kooky.” Khosla hopes that, under Trump, the FDA will stick to evidence-based regulations rather than Kennedy’s alternative views, particularly on vaccine safety. Khosla also urged Musk to ensure the Trump administration addresses climate change, something Musk has supported in the past through Tesla and SpaceX.


Khosla hopes that under Trump, the US won’t turn its back on its allies, particularly Ukraine, as it defends itself in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
 

Musk and Khosla’s public feud


Khosla’s message of congratulations to Musk comes amid a long-running feud between the two billionaires. They’ve clashed over issues from immigration and land rights to political views.

The latest source of tension between Musk and Khosla is about Martins Beach, a scenic spot in California. Khosla bought the property in 2008 and soon after blocked public access to the beach, leading to years of legal battles with California officials. Before Khosla’s ownership, the beach was open to the public with paid parking access. Khosla, however, blocked the only road to the beach, claiming his rights as a property owner.

In September 2024, Musk stirred the controversy by posting a modified image on X, which showed a sign reading “No plebs allowed. Property of Vinod Khosla,” as if Khosla was blocking ordinary people from the beach. Khosla fired back, accusing Musk of spreading false information and demanding an apology. He called the image “fraudulent” and claimed it was likely AI-generated, asking for the platform to label it as misleading.

Khosla responded on X: “You owe me an apology for spreading falsehoods. I think this post of yours needs a community comment for being a fraudulent photo. I have never put up this sign or anything even remotely like this. I presume it is AI generated but you can verify that. It will help X if we can…”

Other disagreements
Beyond the beach dispute, Musk and Khosla have clashed over issues like immigration. Musk recently accused Khosla of hypocrisy, saying he supported “open borders” while restricting public access to his private beach. Khosla clarified that he supports legal immigration, not open borders.

They’ve also disagreed on politics and regulatory policies. Musk’s support for Trump contrasts with Khosla’s alignment with Democrats, showing just how different their ideologies are.