Headlines in 1999 speculated that Bill Gates might become the world’s first trillionaire. But today, with much of his fortune pledged to philanthropy, another name is dominating that conversation — Elon Musk.
Last month, Globe Eye News posted on X that Musk, reportedly worth $405.6 billion, is projected to become the first person in history to cross the trillion-dollar mark by 2027. The post naturally sparked a tidal wave of public reaction.
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According to Forbes, Musk’s actual net worth sits around $398 billion, making him the richest person alive. Bloomberg puts the figure slightly lower at $352 billion — still well ahead of anyone else.
The X post, which has since gone viral, didn’t cite a specific report or forecast but drew on real-world valuations of Musk’s private and public holdings. Whether those assets can climb another $600 billion remains to be seen, but for many users, the claim itself was enough to trigger a strong response.
Some applauded the milestone. Supporters said Musk simply worked harder than anyone else, took risks others didn’t, and reaped the rewards of building world-changing companies.
A few brushed off the outrage altogether, suggesting critics were just jealous. “He has given so much to the world in his time here; he’s a truly remarkable man,” one user wrote. “He’s like Superman with the wind at his back!”
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Others had a very different take.
One user posted a viral comparison between Musk and a working mother of two with a bank balance of just $1,008, questioning whether his value to society could really be “one billion times greater” than hers. Another wrote, “We’re so lucky to live in the age of trillionaires and famine and illiteracy and no healthcare,” capturing a tone of deep frustration with what some see as an extreme imbalance of wealth.
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Several posts circled back to one of Musk’s most public claims — his 2021 offer to help end world hunger if the United Nations could lay out a plan. When nothing came of it, critics didn’t forget. “Celebrating a rich person who lied about solving world hunger is beyond trash,” one person wrote.
Others focused on what they viewed as contradictions in his accomplishments. “All that money and still couldn’t make Cybertruck doors that open properly,” one post mocked. Another suggested that the bulk of his growing wealth wasn’t due to product performance, but government contracts and “weirdly high & propped up Tesla stock.”
Some pointed to what they called “feudal-level income disparity,” with the idea of a trillionaire coexisting alongside people who can’t afford groceries described as “absolute bonkers.” A separate post included a stark image of a frayed rope strand barely holding together with the caption “the world right now” — an unsubtle metaphor for where public sentiment is leaning.
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Still, not everyone is outraged. While many users expressed concern about inequality, others defended Musk’s success as the natural result of innovation, calculated risk, and relentless work ethic. To them, trillionaire status isn’t a flaw in the system — it’s proof the system works.
The math behind the projection remains unclear. No formal financial institution has officially predicted a trillion-dollar milestone for Musk, and his holdings — while massive — are largely non-liquid. A significant portion of his fortune is tied up in the valuation of private companies, which are notoriously difficult to price objectively.
But whether he gets there or not, the response says more about the public’s relationship with wealth than the number itself.
The idea that a single person could amass that level of wealth while millions live paycheck to paycheck is stirring up more than just debate — it’s pulling the curtain back on deeply rooted divides about what success looks like, what wealth should represent, and whether opportunity really scales in both directions.
For some, the story is inspiring. For others, it’s a warning sign.
And as the numbers climb, so will the opinions.
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