Elon Musk
ON THE RECORD · 63 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“quite a high hurdle”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-20 · reported 2026-10-21
Musk described the requirement that half of Tesla's shareholders back the merger as quite a high hurdle.
“a lot to be gained”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-20 · reported 2026-10-21
Musk said he saw a lot to be gained in bringing Tesla and SpaceX together, though any deal would need shareholder backing.
“This will be the first of many,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-19 · reported 2026-10-19
Musk said in a post on X that he would give every child in the U.S. one of his SpaceX shares next year.
“Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America. This will be the first of many.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-19 · reported 2026-10-19
Musk posted on social media that he would give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in America next year.
“I recommend giving the shares directly to the public. This is what I will be doing.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19
Musk responded to Anthropic's public fund pledge by recommending shares be given directly to the public.
“I recommend giving the shares directly to the public,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Musk replied to an Anthropic post on X about its planned public benefit fund, recommending giving shares directly to the public.
“it can basically fly like a rocket,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-17
At the October 15 reveal, Musk told the crowd the Roadster can basically fly like a rocket, according to Car and Driver.
“the culmination of incredible work by Tesla and SpaceX engineers working closely together to make something that you haven’t seen in any movie,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-17
Musk framed the October 15 demo as the culmination of work by Tesla and SpaceX engineers, per USA Today.
“just a question of safety,”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-17
In 2017, shortly after Tesla unveiled the second-generation Roadster, Musk said the car might fly short hops and called safety the open question, according to CNBC's Make It.
“flying cars are real,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-17
Musk called the October 15, 2026 Roadster demonstration proof that flying cars are real, according to Yahoo.
“literally is just going to puff itself up”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-17
Musk said at the October 15 event outside Waco that the Roadster would puff itself up to perform maneuvers whenever an owner wants.
“True. You will be able to ask the Roadster to perform any of the tricks shown autonomously, as it will be sentient. Also, we will have a wild looping track (crazier even than Hot Wheels) at our Texas HQ where you can test out your Roadster.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-17 · reported 2026-10-17
Musk made the comment in a reply on X to tech blogger Robert Scoble, adding that Tesla would build a looping track at its Texas headquarters.
“the results of what happens when you have a collaboration with the world’s best car company and the world’s best rocket company,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-17
Musk told the audience at the October 15 reveal they were about to see the results of a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX, according to Investor's Business Daily.
“the last best driver’s car.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk described the next-generation Roadster in superlative terms during the demonstration event.
“what happens when you have a collaboration with the world's best car company and the world's best rocket company,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk described the development as a collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX.
“Mach 0.5. Maybe a little higher.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk teased the potential top speed the production Roadster could reach relative to the speed of sound.
“even a car anymore”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16
Musk framed the Roadster as a joint Tesla-SpaceX engineering collaboration and questioned whether it is still a car.
“success is not guaranteed”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk said during the event that the vehicle's success is not guaranteed but it will probably work.
“Zelensky has gone too far.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-10 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk wrote on X after Trump called on Ukraine to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries.
“ultra high-pressure air tanks”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk said the car was equipped with ultra high-pressure air tanks to propel itself into the air.
“This is the last critical piece of the spectrum puzzle needed for SpaceX to provide complete phone coverage in America,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-08 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk said in an Oct. 8 social media post about SpaceX's Starlink Mobile satellite business.
“move the needle in a major way financially.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-16
Musk downplayed the Roadster's financial significance to Tesla, describing it as a small potato situation.
“You’ve got to crack halfway to the speed of sound, I think,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk joked about the acceleration forces involved in the Roadster's demonstrated 0-60 mph run.
“This will be an actual car that’s on the roads”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk claimed the Roadster would be a real road car, though Tesla later admitted it would not be road legal.
“it will probably work.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-15 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk said during the event that the vehicle's success is not guaranteed but it will probably work.
“So it can basically fly like a rocket,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk described the next-generation Tesla Roadster's flying and maneuvering capabilities at a demonstration event in Waco, Texas.
“And it could do rolls. It could do, like, crazy gymnastics. Whatever you want, really. Now, I should say that this is not necessarily a safety-optimized car. But it takes the fun meter to 11 out of 10.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-16
Musk described the Roadster's ability to perform aerial maneuvers and acknowledged it is not safety-optimized.
“civilian or defensive activities,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Musk distinguished Starshield as a military-grade satellite network while stating Starlink is meant for civilian or defensive activities.
“any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately [President Trump.]”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Musk said on Wednesday that any limits on Starshield speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately by President Trump.
“civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Musk stated that Starlink is intended for civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Writing on X, Musk stated that Starshield systems are owned by the U.S. government after Ukraine accused SpaceX of imposing new restrictions without warning.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Musk wrote on X that the U.S. government is ultimately responsible for any curbs on Ukraine's military-grade Starlink network.
“The Talarico campaign is hiding something big that voters ought to know about.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Musk amplified the false claims with posts suggesting the Talarico campaign was hiding something from voters.
“I agree, time for Ukraine to get a new leader,”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Musk said earlier in the week that it was time for Ukraine to get a new leader, after Trump made a similar remark.
“will be making a LOT of RAM in 2028.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Musk responded on X to an article about potential memory oversupply, predicting China will produce large volumes of RAM by 2028.
“And so the slaughter continues ⦠Time for Zelensky to go”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Musk wrote on X late on Wednesday responding to a post about Zelensky, saying it was time for Zelensky to go.
“any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately [the US president]”
Elon Musk · said 2026-10-14 · reported 2026-10-15
Musk was responding on X to Ukrainian officials' pleas to restore Starlink connectivity after speed limits disrupted battlefield missions.
“funneling $58 million to illegal migrant hotels in Manhattan.”
Elon Musk · said 2025-02-11 · reported 2026-10-13
Musk posted falsehoods on X accusing Comans of funneling money to illegal migrant hotels.
“lose his job over this”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-09
Musk criticized Bastian on X last week after a travel blog reported Bastian's internal comments about Musk.
“a legion of children before the civil war”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-19
Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Musk's children, claimed he told her this.
“No one set off my evil detector.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-13
Musk praised Anthropic staff after SpaceX inked a major compute deal with the company in May.
“Dario is right that there should be some oversight,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-09-13 · reported 2026-09-13
Musk expressed support for Amodei's proposal in a post on X early Sunday morning.
“Everyone I met was highly competent and cared a great deal about doing the right thing,”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-13
Musk praised Anthropic staff after SpaceX inked a major compute deal with the company in May.
“Peer review of AI by competitors is the right way to start this off.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-09-13 · reported 2026-09-13
Musk expressed support for Amodei's proposal in a post on X early Sunday morning.
“Congrats Boring Company team!”
Elon Musk · said 2026-09-09 · reported 2026-09-10
Musk posted the congratulatory message on X following the announcement that Boring Co. had reached a $23 billion valuation.
“was never offered that and has a history of making false claims.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-09-09 · reported 2026-09-09
Musk disputed on X the NDA terms St. Clair described in the documentary, saying she was never offered that deal.
“Gibney just assembled a hit list of people who either have an axe to grind or don't even know me (but still have an axe to grind). He has ZERO integrity. Horrible human,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-09-09 · reported 2026-09-09
Musk commented on X criticizing the documentary as a whole, attacking Gibney's integrity.
“legion of children before the civil war.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-09
Ashley St. Clair recalls in the documentary that Musk once texted her expressing a desire for a large number of children.
“A storm of Cybercabs.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-09-02 · reported 2026-09-03
Musk wrote this in a pinned post on X ahead of a planned Cybercab event in Austin.
“Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-25
Musk tweeted about the planned Starbase Louisiana site, which SpaceX says will support thousands of Starship flights a year.
“Once Starship is flying reliably several times per week, it makes sense to shift super scarce SpaceX engineering and production resources to Starship to get launch rate to several times per day, which means winding down Falcon,”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-25
Musk tweeted over the weekend that it was necessary to pull resources away from the Falcon 9 to prioritize Starship.
“an extremely important part of SpaceX's future”
Elon Musk · said 2026-08-11 · reported 2026-08-12
Musk described AI as a critical component of SpaceX's future during an all-hands video.
“So in a way, it'll be trained on you,”
Elon Musk · said 2026-08-11 · reported 2026-08-12
Musk told staff that SpaceX's AI model Grok would be trained on the company's internal information, including employees' work.
“Probably our AI revenue -- not probably, definitely -- our AI revenue will exceed all other SpaceX revenue probably in September, like next month.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-08-11 · reported 2026-08-12
Musk told SpaceX employees in an all-hands video that AI revenue will surpass all other SpaceX revenue by September.
“That’s at least our goal, subject to regulatory approvals.”
Elon Musk · said 2025-07-23 · reported 2025-07-24
Elon Musk discussed Tesla's target timeline for rolling out autonomous ride-hailing across half the U.S.
“probably could have a few rough quarters”
Elon Musk · said 2025-07-23 · reported 2025-07-24
Elon Musk warned during Tesla's earnings call about the potential impact of eliminating federal EV tax credits.
“certainly by the end of next year, I think I would be surprised if Tesla’s economics are not very compelling.”
Elon Musk · said 2025-07-23 · reported 2025-07-24
Elon Musk expressed optimism regarding Tesla's future financial performance by the end of next year.
“we should get rid of all the credits.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-24
Elon Musk previously stated in December 2024 that all clean energy tax credits should be eliminated.
“a fork in the road of history for consciousness reaching the stars.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-16
Elon Musk described the significance of the first reflight of a Starship vehicle.
“Looks like we will probably catch the ship with the tower in a few months. If there had been a tower out to sea where we practiced landing the ship, it would have been caught.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-08-20 · reported 2025-07-16
Elon Musk discussed plans for catching the Starship upper stage with the launch tower.
“in a few months.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-16
Elon Musk announced SpaceX's timeline for attempting to catch the Starship upper stage with launch tower arms.
“Any censorship required by governments is now clearly visible.”
Elon Musk · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-16
Elon Musk commented on an update to the open-source algorithm repository for X.
“I hope AI is nice to us.”
Elon Musk · said 2026-08-15 · reported 2025-07-16
Elon Musk responded to a comment about the existential risks of artificial intelligence.