In a moment that has sparked intense debate across both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, legendary actor Robert De Niro took a direct shot at tech mogul Elon Musk, offering no sympathy as Tesla’s stock experienced a jaw-dropping decline on Wall Street this week.
Speaking at a charity gala in New York City, De Niro, never one to mince words, went off-script during a speech to make a scathing remark about Musk, whose electric vehicle empire lost billions in market value over the course of just a few days.
“He deserves every bit of this. That arrogant bastard thought he was untouchable. Well, now reality’s caught up with him,” De Niro reportedly said, sparking gasps and awkward laughter from the audience. Sources at the event claim the actor’s comments were met with mixed reactions, some applauding his candor, others visibly uncomfortable with the rawness of his statement.
Tesla’s stock has plummeted over 17% in just five trading days amid growing concerns over slowing EV demand, production issues in China, and increased competition from global automakers. Investors are rattled, and for the first time in years, questions are being raised about Musk’s long-term leadership of the company.
De Niro and Musk have had a long-standing public tension, with the Oscar-winning actor previously criticizing Musk for his behavior on social media and what he once called “his god complex.” However, this latest jab marks De Niro’s most aggressive and personal attack to date.
On social media, reactions were swift and divided. Some users praised De Niro for “saying what everyone’s thinking,” while others accused him of “kicking a man while he’s down.”
Musk, for his part, has yet to respond directly to De Niro’s comments. But true to form, he tweeted a cryptic message just hours later:
“Storms pass. Strong trees remain.”
Whether this marks the beginning of a high–profile celebrity feud or just another chapter in Musk’s turbulent media saga remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the clash between Hollywood and high tech just got a lot more personal.
