A planned meeting between Elon Musk and rival billionaire Alexander Soros sent social media into a frenzy, after the son of Democrat donor George Soros agreed to chat with Musk. The conversation unfolded on X late on Tuesday after journalist John Nichols tweeted how neither candidate won the majority of votes cast in the 2024 presidential election.
‘Trump has steadily ticked down as votes are counted. Harris has ticked up,’ Nichols wrote. Nichols noted how the popular vote count was putting Trump at 49.94% and Harris 48.26% with Trump’s margin over Harris dwindling to less than 1.7 points. ‘On election night, Trump claimed a ‘powerful mandate.’ At that point, he was winning well over 50% of the vote. But there were tens of millions of uncounted votes. As the count nears completion, it reveals that most Americans did not vote for Trump.’
Nichols’ tweet immediately garnered attention, sparking debate about the legitimacy of Trump’s ‘mandate’ and the media’s portrayal of the results. However, it was billionaire liberal Alexander Soros who added fuel to the fire. ‘It is not a powerful mandate, and the numbers are important,’ Soros tweeted. Quoting a line from Nichols, he added, “They provide Democrats and progressives, however, is an argument against despair and surrender.’ This was a close election. Not a surprise!’
For many, Soros’ comments were a rallying cry for the left. His measured tone, emphasizing the narrow margin resonated with progressives still reeling from the results but the real surprise came when Elon Musk joined the conversation. Known for his unpredictable social media presence, Musk replied to Soros with a simple yet striking statement: ‘I would be curious to meet and understand your goals better.’ The comment immediately sparked speculation with some wondering if Musk, 53, a self-styled free speech absolutist and critic of what he calls ‘woke’ ideologies, was extending an olive branch to someone from a famously progressive family or an opportunity for two powerful figures with opposing views to engage in meaningful dialogue.
Soros, 38, seemed open to the idea. ‘I often learn most from people whose views are different than my own. Open to meeting,’ he responded, signaling his willingness to engage in what could be a high-stakes conversation. The exchange quickly went viral, with X users reacting in predictable – and sometimes dramatic – fashion. One user exclaimed, ‘Don’t meet with the devil!’ – a sentiment echoed by several others who view George Soros and his family as controversial figures in global politics. ‘You can’t understand his goals unless he actually tells you why he’s doing it. And he won’t because it ends with his group having global power,’ pointed out another user.
Others also advised Musk not to trust George Soros’ son: ‘George would be a bridge too far. It wouldn’t be advisable to cut off a potential ally for the sins of his father. That said, the fruit do not often stray from the shade of that tree without being carried.’ Others were more encouraging: ‘Very noble of you Elon. I think this is a good suggestion Alexander, one you should certainly consider. Open and transparent dialogue is how we, as a species will progress for the greater good.’ Part of the uproar stems from Musk’s past criticisms of Alexander’s billionaire father George Soros. Musk has previously faced antisemitism accusations after he George Soros to X-Men supervillain Magneto – a character who manipulates the world and thinks mutants should be in charge, rather than humans. He made the comments on in May 2023, following the announcement that Soros’ investment fund had dumped all of their Tesla stock.
Musk accused him of wanting to ‘destroy Western civilization.’ The comments about George Soros drew widespread condemnation, with critics accusing Musk of fueling conspiracy theories. Given such context, Musk’s proposal to meet Alexander Soros took many by surprise. Some saw it as a possible shift in tone, while others speculated it was a strategic move to better understand the Soros family’s influence.
The stakes of such a meeting are high. Alexander Soros chairs the Open Society Foundations, a philanthropic organization that supports democracy, human rights, and social justice initiatives worldwide. Meanwhile, Musk’s companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, wield significant influence in technology and global markets. For years, Alexander Soros was known as a Hamptons rich kid who threw lavish parties, picked up models and befriended NBA legends. His flamboyant lifestyle and untamed antics earned him a reputation as something of a ‘playboy’ – and even saw him once described as an ’embarrassment’ within his famous family, standing in sharp contrast to his father’s fierce dedication to personal privacy and his long-standing image as a serious and respected philanthropist and businessman.
When he was named as the successor and heir to his father’s $25 billion empire, the news certainly raised some eyebrows – particularly among those who knew the former wildchild as nothing more than a party-loving rich kid. His ascent to the head of George’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) was seen as something of a shock decision, particularly as it saw him usurp his older – and much more serious – brother Jonathan in a corporate battle that many likened to the TV series Succession. But ahead of the June 2023 announcement, Alex had slowly been working on transforming his image from that of a playboy to a political power player – swapping parties with celebrities for pow wows with people of serious influence, including Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Joe Biden.
When he was named as his father’s successor, he vowed that he would use 93-year-old George’s fortune to finance even more far-left causes – including abortion rights and gender equality – telling the Wall Street Journal that he was ‘more political’ than George and planned to reflect that in his business dealings. Prior to November’s election Alexander said he was concerned about the possibility of Trump returning to the White House. ‘As much as I would love to get money out of politics, as long as the other side is doing it, we will have to do it, too,’ he said.
