A Timeline of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk's Feud
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Phillip Faraone/Getty; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
The longtime rivalry between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos spans over 15 years.
Publicly butting heads since 2004, the billionaires have taken part in unfriendly discourse over the years. While the two have competed in having the highest net worth, they've most notably engaged in a years-long space race with their respective reusable rocket companies.
Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies, aka SpaceX, in 2002. Two years prior, Bezos launched Blue Origin in 2000. Since the companies' inceptions, they have fiercely competed to be the first since 1972 to put humans back on the Moon.
The public dispute between the two remained quiet from 2004 until 2013 when Blue Origin filed a protest against SpaceX in an attempt to win over NASA and its Kennedy Space Center launchpad. This marked one of the many legal actions the CEOs have taken over the years.
In addition to filing lawsuits, Musk and Bezos have infamously turned to Twitter to shade each other — in which the SpaceX founder has been known to call the Blue Origin CEO a "copycat," among penning jabs at his Amazon pursuits.
Keep scrolling for a look back at Musk and Bezos' ongoing feud through the years.
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2004: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos butt heads during a dinner meet up
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty; John Shearer/Getty Elon Musk (L); Jeff Bezos
Musk and Bezos met for dinner in 2004 to discuss their reusable rocket ambitions, prior to any launches taking place. Though their companies were both in their beginning stages, the two CEOs seemingly didn't get along from the start.
"I actually did my best to give good advice, which he largely ignored," Musk said of Bezos after a dinner together, per Christian Davenport's book, The Space Barons.
In 2021, The Hustle's Trung Phan tweeted a photo taken of both Musk and Bezos at the 2004 dinner. Musk responded to the photo, writing: "Wow, hard to believe that was 17 years ago!"
1/ In 2004, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos met for a meal to discuss space.
It was one of their few in-person interactions.
The conversation they had perfectly captures the different approaches they've taken to space exploration.
Here's the story 🧵 pic.twitter.com/g8hAsEj3d4— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) March 1, 2021
Sept. 3, 2013: Blue Origin files protest against SpaceX's attempt to lease NASA's launchpad
Both Bezos' Blue Origin and Musk's SpaceX wanted to lease NASA's Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, each sending formal proposals to the space agency vying for the spot.
Blue Origin requested to convert it into a commercial pad that would be accessible to all launch companies, whereas SpaceX wanted to lease it exclusively for its Falcon family of rockets (though later said it would be open to sharing), per Space News.
Blue Origin later filed a protest to prevent SpaceX from using the pad and Musk lashed out at Bezos' company and the United Launch Alliance, saying that they were using a "phony blocking tactic" to hinder SpaceX's expansion plans.
Dec. 13, 2013: Elon Musk's SpaceX wins NASA launch pad lease over Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin
Ultimately, SpaceX beat out Blue Origin to take over the launch pad on Dec. 13, a day after the Government Accountability Office rejected Blue Origin's protest.
"NASA said it continued evaluating the two companies' proposals for using the pad even while the GAO deliberated over the protest," reported ABC News.
Aug. 25, 2014: Elon Musk's SpaceX protests a patent awarded to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin
Evan Vucci/AP/Shutterstock SpaceX CEO Elon Musk
On March 25, 2014, Blue Origin's patent for landing rockets on water was approved — though later in August, SpaceX filed a protest claiming the invention was an "old hat" in the rocket-engineering industry.
In the end, the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board sided with SpaceX, leading to Blue Origin's cancellation of the majority of claims in the patent.
Nov. 25, 2015: Elon Musk tweets about Jeff Bezos' reusable rocket news
When Blue Origin's New Shepard space vehicle successfully flew to space, Bezos tweeted the celebratory news. Unamused, Musk responded to the tweet noting that the accomplishment was nothing new.
"@JeffBezos Not quite 'rarest.' SpaceX Grasshopper rocket did 6 suborbital flights 3 years ago & is still around," Musk wrote.
Meanwhile, Bezos hit back at Musk in a similar fashion after SpaceX landed its Falcon 9 spacecraft. "Congrats @SpaceX on landing Falcon's suborbital booster stage. Welcome to the club!" the Blue Origin CEO wrote.
Feb. 23, 2019: Jeff Bezos throws subtle shade at Elon Musk and his desire to colonize mars
Bezos seemingly dissed Musk during a private lecture moderated by Space News writer Jeff Foust in February 2019. While the conversation primarily centered around his future plans for his rocket company Blue Origin, in addition to his desire to make space a place where people can live, he didn't fail to hint at Musk, indirectly referencing his ambition to colonize mars.
"We have sent robotic probes now to every planet in this solar system, and this is the best one," Bezos said of Earth. "My friends who want to move to Mars? I say do me a favor: Go live on the top of Mount Everest for a year first and see if you like it, because it's a garden paradise compared to Mars."
April 9, 2019: Elon Musk calls Jeff Bezos a 'copycat' after launching his own network of satellites
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Elon Musk
In 2019, Musk called out Bezos for being a "copycat" on Twitter after Bezos launched a network of satellites shortly after Musk debuted prototypes that were later dubbed Starlink.
June 26, 2020: Elon Musk calls Jeff Bezos a 'copycat' again after launching his own self-driving car company
Not only are the two billionaires rivals in the celestial scene, but they're competitors in the automotive industry as well. While Musk is widely regarded as the CEO of Tesla, Bezos announced in June 2020 that Amazon acquired the self-driving startup Zoox for over $1.2 billion.
When the Financial Times tweeted the news, Musk left a reply in a similar fashion to his April 2019 tweet. "@JeffBezosis a copy 🐈 haha," he wrote.
April 16, 2021: Elon Musk's SpaceX wins contract with NASA over Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin
Musk nabbed a major victory over Bezos in their ongoing space race when NASA chose SpaceX as the primary company to construct a spacecraft that will send humans to the Moon.
Winning a $2.89 billion contract with the space agency, Musk's SpaceX is now tasked to build a lunar lander that will put humans on the Moon for the first time since December 1972.
The company's spacecraft will be part of NASA's Artemis mission, which plans to put the first woman and next man on the Moon in 2024 and establish a sustainable human lunar presence by the end of the decade.
April 26, 2021: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin protests against Elon Musk's SpaceX
Joe Raedle/Getty
Not long after NASA awarded SpaceX a multi-billion dollar contract to send humans back to the Moon, Bezos penned a protest to the Government of Accountability Office against the agency.
The 50-page complaint accused NASA of "moving goalposts" for the companies competing for a $2.89 billion lunar lander contract to transport astronauts to the Moon.
"Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the Moon," Blue Origin said in a statement at the time.
In response to a New York Times reporter's Tweet about the complaint, Musk mockingly tweeted: "Can't get it up (to orbit) lol."
July 17, 2021: Elon Musk laughs at a Jeff Bezos meme ahead of his space flight
Ahead of Bezos' anticipated flight to space, Musk reacted to a Twitter meme that poked fun at the Blue Origin CEO and the fact that his flight would only be sub-orbital.
However, a few days later, the SpaceX founder quietly showed his support to his rival when it was announced that the Blue Origin flight was a go. "Best of luck tomorrow!" Musk tweeted.
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Aug. 11, 2021: Elon Musk mocks Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin lunar lander on Twitter
In the months following NASA's decision to award SpaceX with the multi-billion dollar contract, Bezos' company threatened litigation — to which Musk took to Twitter to mock Blue Origin's lander design.
Somehow, this wasn’t convincing … pic.twitter.com/qAn8Y6i5Ys
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2021
Aug. 16, 2021: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin sues NASA over its contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX
Blue Origin took NASA to federal court over their decision to award SpaceX the multi-billion dollar contract in its long-term project to send astronauts back to the Moon. The complaint was filed in the US Court of Federal Claims, challenging NASA's evaluation in an attempt to overturn the space agency's decision.
A spokesperson for Blue Origin confirmed the lawsuit: "We firmly believe that the issues identified in this procurement and its outcomes must be addressed to restore fairness, create competition, and ensure a safe return to the Moon for America," Blue Origin said. The company added that it's looking to "remedy the flaws in the acquisition process found in NASA's Human Landing System."
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Aug. 27, 2021: Jeff Bezos' Amazon protests SpaceX's effort involving Starlink
Chris Jackson/Getty
Amazon sent a protest letter to the Federal Communications Commission arguing that SpaceX's second-generation Starlink network breaks the rules on satellite deployment. Note that the complaint came as Amazon was simultaneously developing its own satellite internet system, titled Project Kuiper.
Musk tweeted a response to the news, mocking Bezos: "Turns out Besos retired in order to pursue a full-time job filing lawsuits against SpaceX…"
Dec. 13, 2021: Elon Musk takes a jab at Jeff Bezos after being named the world's richest person
In 2021, Musk became the world's richest person and the third person to ever amass a fortune worth $200 billion, according to Forbes. Surpassing Bezos, the Tesla CEO took a jab at his rival in the wake of his success.
"I'm sending a giant statue of the digit '2' to Jeffrey B., along with a silver medal," Musk wrote in a brief email to Forbes.
As of Sept. 7, 2022, Musk holds the top spot on Bloomberg's Billionaires Index with a total estimated net worth of $244B, while Bezos holds the second spot on the list with an estimated net worth of $149B.
Dec. 15, 2021: Elon Musk says Jeff Bezos takes himself 'too seriously'
Theo Wargo/Getty Elon Musk
About a week after Musk was named Time's Person of the Year, the billionaire didn't hold back when speaking about fellow billionaire Bezos in an interview with the Financial Times.
Musk said in the interview that while his fellow billionaire has "reasonably good engineering aptitude," he feels Bezos "does not seem to be willing to spend mental energy getting into the details of engineering."
"[He] does take himself a bit too seriously," he added of Bezos. "In some ways, I'm trying to goad him into spending more time at Blue Origin so they make more progress. As a friend of mine says, he should spend more time at Blue Origin and less time in the hot tub."
The interview was published days after Blue Origin sent its third crewed mission to space, which included Good Morning America's Michael Strahan.
RELATED: William Shatner Flies to Space, Becoming the Oldest Person to Ever Leave Earth: 'Life-Changing'
Sept. 5, 2022: Elon Musk escalates feud with Jeff Bezos by slamming Amazon's Lord of the Rings series
Kevin Mazur/Getty; Amazon Prime
Musk took to Twitter to show his displeasure with Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which began streaming on Sept. 1.
"[J. R. R.] Tolkien is turning in his grave," Musk tweeted. Continuing his review in another tweet, he wrote, "Almost every male character so far is a coward, a jerk or both. Only Galadriel is brave, smart and nice."
Almost every male character so far is a coward, a jerk or both. Only Galadriel is brave, smart and nice.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2022
Meanwhile, two days prior to Musk's diss on Twitter, Bezos tweeted his support of the show. "Go Middle-earth!" he wrote alongside the news that the series drew in 25 million viewers on its first day.
