But long before either of them topped the rich list, Ellison was one of the few who publicly defended Musk during a time when almost everyone else was tearing him apart.
Musk reposted a video to X last October of Ellison speaking on stage with the caption, “Larry Ellison is awesome.” The clip came from a 2018 keynote where Ellison called out the people who said Musk didn’t know what he was doing.
“You’re saying Elon’s an idiot. The guy’s landing rockets. And who are you?”
That line still circulates because Ellison wasn’t just being dramatic — he was mocking the very real narrative at the time. He said people were writing Musk off like he was clueless. Then he imitated one of them.
“Elon doesn’t know what he’s doing, he’ll have to go out for money,” Ellison said. “I’m really smart. I work for The Wall Street Journal.”
He followed it up by questioning the entire premise.
“Who are you? This guy’s landing rockets. You know, he’s landing rockets on robot drone rafts in the ocean. And you’re saying he doesn’t know what he’s doing? You ever land a rocket? You’re telling me he’s an idiot? I just want to know who you are so I know why I should believe you as opposed to my friend Elon.”
In 2019, Ellison revealed he had invested $1 billion in Tesla. He later joined the board.
While others were betting against Musk, Ellison was investing in him. He called him a friend, and more importantly, he backed him when almost no one else would.
Years later, the facts speak for themselves. SpaceX dominates the global launch market. Falcon 9 rockets return from orbit and land on drone ships with routine precision. Starlink is providing global satellite internet. Starship is under development for interplanetary missions.
Meanwhile, Bezos’s Blue Origin finally launched its long-awaited New Glenn rocket in 2025. It reached orbit. But the booster failed to land.
That’s the contrast Ellison pointed out before it was obvious.
In 2025, Musk appeared on the “Verdict with Ted Cruz” podcast and was asked to name the smartest CEO he’s ever met. He said, “Larry Ellison is very smart. I will say Larry Ellison is one of the smartest people.”
The admiration goes both ways. And so does the track record. One made the rockets land. The other called it before anyone else.
