A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Elon Musk.
Elon Musk is a businessman, known for his involvement with Tesla, SpaceX, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and his ownership of Twitter (X). He is currently the wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$397 billion as of February 2025.
2018: SEC Sues Musk
In 2018, Elon Musk was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a tweet about taking Tesla private.
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2018: SEC Sues Musk
In 2018, Elon Musk was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a tweet about taking Tesla private.
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2018: SEC Lawsuit
In 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Elon Musk for fraud, alleging he falsely announced that he had secured funding for a private takeover of Tesla. He stepped down as chairman and paid a fine.
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2018: Musk's Pay Package From Tesla Rescinded
In January 2024, Delaware Judge Kathaleen McCormick ruled in a 2018 lawsuit that Elon Musk's $55 billion pay package from Tesla be rescinded.
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2019: SEC Asks Court to Hold Musk in Contempt
In 2019, the SEC reacted by asking a court to hold Elon Musk in contempt for violating the terms of the 2018 settlement agreement.
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January 2020: Settlement of SolarCity Lawsuit
In January 2020, Tesla directors settled the shareholder lawsuit regarding the SolarCity acquisition, leaving Elon Musk as the sole remaining defendant.
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2020: Twitter's moderation of Hunter Biden's laptop controversy
In late 2022, Musk released internal documents relating to Twitter's moderation of Hunter Biden's laptop controversy in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election.
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December 2022: Musk Bans ElonJet Account on Twitter
In December 2022, Elon Musk banned the ElonJet account on Twitter, along with temporary bans on journalists who posted about the incident.
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2022: Federal Probe Launched into Neuralink
In 2022, a federal probe was launched into possible animal welfare violations by Neuralink.
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2022: Musk Changes Twitter Leadership and Policies
In 2022, after acquiring Twitter, Elon Musk fired top executives, instituted a monthly subscription for "blue check", laid off a significant portion of staff, and lessened content moderation.
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2022: SEC Sues Musk
In October 2023, the SEC sued Elon Musk over his refusal to testify a third time in an investigation into whether he violated federal law by purchasing Twitter stock in 2022.
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October 2023: Grimes sues Musk
In October 2023, Grimes sued Elon Musk over parental rights and custody of X Æ A-Xii.
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October 2023: SEC Sues Musk
In October 2023, the SEC sued Elon Musk over his refusal to testify a third time in an investigation into whether he violated federal law by purchasing Twitter stock in 2022.
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January 2024: Musk's Pay Package From Tesla Rescinded
In January 2024, Delaware Judge Kathaleen McCormick ruled in a 2018 lawsuit that Elon Musk's $55 billion pay package from Tesla be rescinded.
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January 2024: Reported recreational drug use
In January 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk takes ketamine, LSD, cocaine, and other drugs recreationally.
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February 2024: Judge Rules Musk Must Testify Again
In February 2024, Judge Laurel Beeler ruled that Elon Musk must testify again in the SEC investigation.
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2024: Musk Supports Far-Right Political Parties
In 2024, Elon Musk started supporting international far-right political parties, activists, and causes, and has shared far-right misinformation and numerous conspiracy theories.
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2024: Largest Donor in Presidential Election
In 2024, Elon Musk was the largest donor in the United States presidential election.
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January 2025: SEC Files Lawsuit Against Musk
In January 2025, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk for securities violations related to his purchase of Twitter.
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