Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz are continuing their war of words against one another as the Minnesota politician made more comments last evening.

Musk then responded to those comments today in a post on X.

Walz said last night that Musk is a “greedy bastard” who did not pay taxes after he became successful. The former VP hopeful also said that “people like Elon Musk” should be demonized:

“Once you become successful, don’t be a greedy bastard and not pay your taxes. I don’t think we should be the party that demonizes someone because they can afford something—they worked hard & got something. We should demonize people like Elon Musk. That’s different.”

Tim Walz on Elon Musk: “Once you become successful, don’t be a greedy bastard and not pay your taxes. I don’t think we should be the party that demonizes someone because they can afford something—they worked hard & got something. We should demonize people like Elon Musk. That’s… pic.twitter.com/uq5aV2XAxT

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 9, 2025

These comments from Walz follow previous statements he made about Tesla stock, stating that when it goes down, he gets a boost. These comments were met with criticism from people in various sectors, including Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, who is nicknamed “Mr. Wonderful.”

O’Leary called Walz out for hoping Tesla shares drop as they are a holding in the Minnesota Pension Fund. Walz said the comments were just a joke.

Musk chose to respond to Walz’s comments from last night this morning in a response to the above X post, calling him “a liar”:

Tim Walz is a liar

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2025

Funny enough, Musk has not avoided paying his taxes. In fact, in 2021, he paid the largest single-year tax bill in American history, as he wrote a cheque to the IRS for $11 billion:

Elon Musk’s 2021 taxes equates to over $1.5 million for every day he’s been a US citizen

It is unclear why Walz continues to speak negatively about Musk, especially as it seems he is going out of his way to do so. More than likely, it is to continue pushback against Musk’s involvement with the Trump Administration.

The Volkswagen Group’s global deliveries rose in Q1, fueled by demand for electric vehicles (EVs).

Europe’s top automaker saw deliveries tick up 1.4% to 2.13 million units, riding a wave of electric vehicle growth in Europe and the Americas. However, Volkswagen stumbled in China, where deliveries dropped 7.1% against fierce local competition.

Volkswagen’s EV sales soared over 100% in Europe and 51% in the U.S.—Tesla’s strongholds. Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s sales in China plunged 37%, where BYD reigns.

Bloomberg suggested that the increase in Volkswagen’s sales might be related to Europe’s aversion to the Tesla brand. Tesla has felt the brunt of the backlash from Elon Musk’s political moves in Europe and his ties to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Earlier this week, a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and Musk took place in Berlin-Mitte, Germany. Local police estimated that about 250 people protested against Trump and Musk in front of a Tesla showroom. One protester was temporarily arrested for displaying a poster featuring Elon Musk performing the Nazi salute. According to authorities, the poster was anti-constitutional.

However, Tesla’s delivery dip in the first quarter might have more to do with its Model Y preparations. The American EV automaker focused on retooling and upgrading its factories in America, China, and Europe to produce the new Model Y.

Trump’s tariffs cloud the horizon for VW and German peers like Audi and Porsche. Export woes loom for German automakers, but Volkswagen’s EV surge might offer a buffer.

Trump’s tariffs will affect Tesla as well. Elon Musk has been vocal about his stance on Trump’s tariffs, noting that it will impact Tesla.

“To be clear, this will affect the price of parts in Tesla cars that come from other countries. The cost impact is not trivial,” Elon Musk shared in an X post.

Tesla Saudi Arabia might benefit from U.S. President Donald Trump’s investment plans for Saudi Arabia.

Tesla starts selling cars in Saudi Arabia this Thursday, April 10. In the desert kingdom, Tesla is plunging into a market where not a single electric vehicle (EV) charging station can be found on a 900-kilometer stretch between Riyadh and Mecca. Last year, EV sales in Saudi Arabia hit just 2,000 units, per analyst Sam Abuelsamid—less than Tesla’s typical daily tally.

Despite challenges in Saudi Arabia, Tesla isn’t holding back with its debut in the kingdom. Tesla Saudi Arabia will host a launch event April 10, 2025, at Bujairi Terrace, showcasing the Cybercab, its Optimus humanoid robot, and its AI and robotics plans.

According to Reuters, Tesla’s push aligns with thawing ties between Elon Musk and Riyadh, fueled by Musk’s prominent role in Trump’s campaign and administration.

Trump’s eyeing Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip in May. The U.S. President aims to ink a deal after urging Saudi Arabia in January to invest $1 trillion into the United States over the next four years. Trump’s Saudi Arabian investment deal includes military buys.

“Plenty of business people are thinking about how to position their firms around President Trump’s anticipated visit to the Gulf,” noted Robert Mogielnicki, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

“I suspect Tesla wants to firmly plant their flag in the Saudi market before President Trump’s visit and then try to capitalize on momentum thereafter,” added Mogielnicki.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister landed in the U.S. on Tuesday, April 8, signaling big moves ahead. With rivals like BYD and Lucid already at play in Saudi Arabia, Tesla’s timing could leverage Trump’s deal-making to jumpstart its foothold in the kingdom.