Billie Eilish recently criticized Elon Musk for his growing fortune and called him a “pathetic coward” on social media. This started a heated online exchange that has spread across major platforms.
Eilish posted sharp messages on Instagram aimed at Musk. She shared data from a nonprofit showing how Musk could use his money to solve hunger, provide clean water, rebuild war-torn places, and help endangered animals. She wrote, “f***ing pathetic p***y bitch coward.”
Her posts appeared soon after she spoke at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards. There, she asked why billionaires need extreme wealth when so many people need support.
Musk’s reply
Musk answered through his own account on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed,” dismissing Eilish’s criticism with sarcasm and little patience.
Eilish’s comments came just as Musk’s new Tesla pay package could make him the world’s first trillionaire. She argued he could solve problems like hunger and climate change, or rebuild regions hit by war, but chooses to hold onto his wealth. Still, many online argued that Eilish herself is wealthy, so her criticism has limits. Eilish responded by announcing a $11.5 million donation from her tour earnings to climate justice, food equity, and pollution reduction projects.
Musk’s donations add to debate
Over recent years, he has made some of the biggest donations in the world. In 2021, he gave Tesla shares valued at $5.7 billion to the Musk Foundation. This made it one of the largest private foundations in America. The money supports science, education, and clean technology. The Musk Foundation does fund things like St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the XPrize for carbon removal, donating $55 million and $54 million to these groups within a year.
In 2024, Musk gave away another $474 million, but most of it went to entities he controls. In the last three years, his foundation donated more than $450 million, including $101 million at the start of 2025. He often donates shares rather than cash. This gets him big tax breaks and lets him keep control over the foundation’s assets.
Recent records say his foundation has $9.5 billion in assets. Some years, though, his foundation failed to meet rules that require charities to donate at least 5% of their assets, raising questions in financial headlines. Over time, Musk’s donations have supported causes near SpaceX facilities and science education, plus he has promised $50 million a year to charities for kids.
At the WSJ Innovator Awards, right in front of Mark Zuckerberg and other high-profile guests, Eilish asked why billionaires aren’t using their resources to actually help others.
As the conversation spreads, many are watching to see how those with great wealth will respond or change.
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