On Wednesday, former hedge fund manager known as the “Pharma Bro,” Martin Shkreli, pushed back on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) accusations that several major U.S. corporations paid no federal income tax.
Warren took to X and said that if taxpayers paid even a small amount in federal income tax last year, they contributed more than several large companies, including Tesla Inc., Walt Disney Co., Palantir Technologies, CVS Health, Citigroup and others.
She argued that despite generating billions in revenue, these firms effectively paid “$0” in federal income taxes and called for reforms to ensure corporations “pay their fair share.”
If you paid even a penny in federal income tax last year, you paid more than:
Tesla
Southwest
Disney
Live Nation
HP
United
PayPal
CVS Health
Palantir
Citigroup
PG&E
3MThat’s right. They paid $0 in federal income tax.
It’s time for big corporations to pay their fair share.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 15, 2026
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Shkreli disputed the allegations, arguing that Warren conflated accounting figures with actual cash payments.
“This is false,” he wrote on X, pointing to Disney’s SEC filings showing billions in income taxes paid over recent years.
According to Disney’s cash flow disclosures, the company reported income taxes paid of $1.22 billion in 2025, $3.96 billion in 2024 and $1.19 billion in 2023.
“This is your problem. You don’t know facts and shoot from the hip,” Shkreli said.
This is false. Disney paid $1.2B in taxes last year. Your inept staff is confusing an accounting accrual reversal with cash taxes paid.
This is your problem. You don’t know facts and shoot from the hip. pic.twitter.com/VjwqqggPL7
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) April 15, 2026
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Warren separately said Elon Musk’s Tesla paid $0 in federal income taxes in 2025 despite reporting $5.7 billion in earnings.
Tesla paid $0 in federal income taxes in 2025, despite making $5.7 billion.
This Tax Day, remember that you have paid more in taxes than a multi-billion dollar company—all thanks to corporate tax breaks from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 15, 2026
Shkreli countered that Tesla’s position reflects legal deductions, including net operating losses and stock-based compensation, not recent legislation alone.
