Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is once again taking aim at Elon Musk, this time accusing the world’s first trillionaire of effectively “stealing from us” while mocking the SpaceX founder as a “wealthy weirdo” during a monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The comments came as SpaceX completed one of the most historic public offerings in financial history, with the company’s valuation surging past $2 trillion and Musk becoming the first person ever to reach a trillion-dollar net worth.
Yet while Musk was celebrating a milestone built on companies that have transformed multiple industries, Kimmel chose to frame the achievement as something suspicious and dangerous.
Kimmel Targets Musk During SpaceX IPO Celebration
During Thursday night’s monologue, Kimmel expressed concern over SpaceX becoming publicly traded and argued that the company’s presence in retirement portfolios could be risky.
“What makes that even more unsettling is that this man, our first trillionaire, the richest man in the world, is also one of the weirdest people we’ve ever seen on this planet,” Kimmel, a man who openly weeps repeatedly on national TV, said.
The ABC host went on to call Musk an “obscenely wealthy weirdo” and later suggested the entrepreneur had been “stealing from us.”
Elon Musk via AutismCapital on X
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“You know, for a guy who has been openly cheering immigrants getting kicked out of the country for stealing from us, sure seems like an immigrant who’s been stealing from us to me,” Kimmel said.
The comments are the latest chapter in Kimmel’s long-running feud with Musk, whom he frequently criticized during Musk’s tenure leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The Hypocrisy Is Hard to Ignore
What makes Kimmel’s remarks particularly striking is who they’re coming from.
Kimmel isn’t some struggling factory worker worried about his retirement account. He’s a wealthy celebrity worth tens of millions of dollars who hosts a network television show and enjoys a lifestyle far removed from the financial realities facing most Americans.
Yet during his monologue, Kimmel attempted to position himself as a representative of ordinary people supposedly being victimized by Musk’s success.
That’s a difficult argument to take seriously.
Jimmy Kimmel jokes that Melania Trump has a “glow like an expected widow” on his show days before an attempt was made on President Trump’s life – YouTube, SkyNews Australia
Unlike many Hollywood celebrities who built their fortunes primarily through entertainment, Musk’s wealth is tied directly to companies that millions of people voluntarily support through investment, employment, and consumer purchases.
Tesla helped popularize electric vehicles and renewable energy while creating significant wealth for shareholders who invested in the company early. SpaceX revolutionized the space industry, dramatically lowering launch costs while creating thousands of jobs and generating enormous value for investors and employees alike.
Thousands of SpaceX workers, engineers, and early investors have benefited financially from the company’s growth.
Jimmy Kimmel in his UK Christmas Address – UK Channel 4
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Kimmel’s argument essentially boils down to the idea that Musk becoming richer somehow comes at the expense of everyone else, despite the fact that Musk’s fortune is largely derived from the increasing value of companies that have created products, services, jobs, and investment opportunities.
SpaceX’s Success Created Wealth for More Than Just Musk
One aspect often missing from critics’ attacks on Musk is the simple reality that SpaceX’s IPO didn’t just enrich Musk.
Employees who received stock compensation stand to benefit. Early investors stand to benefit. Pension funds and institutional investors that chose to buy into the company stand to benefit.
Elon Musk via Real Time with Bill Maher YouTube
The company has also become one of the most important private aerospace firms in the world, handling launches for commercial customers, government agencies, and satellite networks.
Whether someone personally likes Musk or not, SpaceX’s success wasn’t achieved out of nowhere.
The company built rockets, launched satellites, secured contracts, hired workers, and created a business that investors deemed valuable enough to support at a multi-trillion-dollar valuation.
That’s a far cry from simply “stealing from us.”
Hollywood’s Favorite Target
Kimmel’s comments also reflect a broader trend in Hollywood, where attacking Musk has become something of a favorite pastime among celebrities and media personalities.
Many of the same figures who routinely lecture audiences about wealth inequality have no problem enjoying their own multi-million-dollar fortunes while directing public outrage toward a businessman they dislike politically.
That doesn’t mean Musk is beyond criticism. Far from it.
Elon Musk via New York Times Events YouTube
But reducing the success of Tesla and SpaceX to claims that Musk is somehow “stealing from us” ignores the reality that both companies have generated enormous economic value and helped create wealth for countless people beyond Musk himself.
For Kimmel, it may have made a punchline. For everyone else, it sounded more like another wealthy celebrity complaining about a wealthier man he can’t stand.
How do you feel about Jimmy Kimmel claiming Elon Musk is stealing from us? Sound off and let us know!
