South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk has seen his internet price plummet in 2025 – particularly the previous few weeks.
It’s been a foul 12 months to this point for the 53-year-old Tesla, SpaceX and X boss.
Musk has misplaced – anticipate it – $143 billion in 2025 alone, based on the most recent Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
That’s more cash than any single human being on the earth possesses aside from simply six different males.
Contemplating there have solely been 99 days in 2025 as of Wednesday, 9 April, that equates to a lack of $1.44 billion per day.
Or R28.5 billion per day – on the present horrifying change charge of R19.75/$.
Experiences of a rift
There have been widespread stories of a rift between US President Donald Trump and Musk in current days over the implementation of commerce tariffs.
Musk’s Tesla firm particularly depends closely on imports from Japan, China and Taiwan.
Because the announcement of the tariffs, Tesla has skilled a major decline in quarterly gross sales, seemingly because of a backlash towards Musk’s position as a Trump adviser.
Final month, Trump introduced a 20% tariff on items from the European Union (EU) – which Musk overtly disagreed with.
This week, Musk suggested Trump to contemplate implementing a “zero-tariff scenario” between Europe and the USA.
“I hope that the USA and Europe can set up a detailed partnership. There may be an alliance already however I’m hopeful that they are often very shut relationship with America and Europe,” Musk mentioned.
“There ought to be extra freedom of individuals to maneuver between Europe and North America in the event that they want to work in Europe or America, they need to be allowed to take action, in order that has been my recommendation to the president,” he mentioned.
Not backing down
Trump, nevertheless, will not be backing down and insists on imposing tariffs on nations, particularly Europe and China.
“I don’t need something to go down however typically, it’s a must to take medication to repair one thing,” he mentioned.
“Europe has handled us badly, we put an enormous tariff on Europe. They’re coming to the desk; they wish to discuss, however there’s no discuss until they pay us some huge cash on a yearly foundation. They’ve taken loads of our wealth away and we’re not going to permit it to occur.”
On Tuesday, as reported by The South African web site, Musk blasted Trump’s senior commerce advisor Peter Navarro as “really a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks”.
The extraordinary public spat got here after Navarro described Musk, the so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) chief as “not a automotive producer” however “a automotive assembler” who depends on imported elements.
RELATED | China hawk Peter Navarro has Donald Trump’s ear
However don’t really feel too dangerous for Elon.
He nonetheless boasts a reported internet price of $290 billion, nicely forward of second-placed Jeff Bezos ($192 billion) on the earth’s richest checklist.
However that hole is closing. Quick.
The remainder of the highest 10, so as, are Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet, Bernard Arnault, Invoice Gates, Larry Ellison, Larry Web page, Steve Ballmer and Sergey Brin.
Prime 10 richest folks on the earth
Appropriate as of 9 April 2025
| Rank | Title | Internet price |
| 1 | Elon Musk | $290 billion |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $192 billion |
| 3 | Mark Zuckerberg | $181 billion |
| 4 | Warren Buffet | $154 billion |
| 5 | Bernard Arnault | $154 billion |
| 6 | Invoice Gates | $147 billion |
| 7 | Larry Ellison | $144 billion |
| 8 | Larry Web page | $131 billion |
| 9 | Steve Ballmer | $125 billion |
| 10 | Sergey Brin | $124 billion |
Has the Elon Musk-Donald Trump ‘bromance’ run its course?
Tell us by leaving a remark under, or ship a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African web site’s newsletters and observe us on WhatsApp, Fb, X and Bluesky for the most recent information.
