Gareth Cliff Warns Against Critics of Elon Musk’s Trillionaire Status: “They Make Terrible Friends”

• Gareth Cliff reacted after Elon Musk was declared the world's first trillionaire following SpaceX's reported valuation surge
• Cliff defended Musk and issued a warning against people unhappy about his trillionaire status
• His comments sparked debate online about wealth, success, and public attitudes toward billionaires and trillionaires

Renowned South African broadcaster Gareth Cliff has weighed in on people criticising Elon Musk’s trillionaire status. On Friday, 12 June 2026, the South Africa-born entrepreneur was declared the world’s first trillionaire as SpaceX’s stock began trading on the Nasdaq at $150 per share, giving the company a nearly $2 trillion market cap.

Not everyone was celebrating that Musk had made history as the world’s first trillionaire. On Friday, Gareth Cliff took aim at the South Africa-born entrepreneur’s critics, arguing that the criticism says more about them than the SpaceX boss.

Gareth Cliff warns against people upset by Elon Musk’s trillionaire status

Cliff, who is a fan of Donald Trump, went further, warning that such people are difficult to trust in personal and professional settings. In his view, they are not the type you should rely on in relationships, business, or with finances. The post was captioned:

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“The one thing you can say about everyone who’s unhappy about Elon Musk’s new trillionaire status is that they’re the same bitter and resentful people who would hate you if you had more than them. They make terrible friends. You shouldn’t do business with them. Never lend them money. Never marry them. Never give them any responsibility.”

See the post below:

SA reacts to Gareth Cliff's warning

Cliff’s comments circulated online and sparked more reactions.

Here are some of the comments:

@jayzetd agreed:

“What's very sad and scary is that it is the majority of people. They have absolutely no idea how economics work, and most people these days have the victim/socialist worldview. If Elon doesn't create universal high income soon. Our civilisation as we know it is doomed to burn!”

@Wendy32434156 said:

“It's the fourth deadly sins for a reason. It's destructive. Envy (Invidia): Resentment of others' traits, status, abilities, or possessions, often wishing them harm. Symbolised by a snake or a person with green-tinged skin.”

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@oculusoculus argued:

“The issue is not with billionaires themselves, but rather the insatiable greed of monopolies and corporates that bleed their customers and staff dry whilst reporting billions in profits. If people could actually afford to live, resentment towards billionaires wouldn't exist.”

@jppretorius_7 shared:

“Fun fact, though, Elon Musk’s net worth is more than double the entire annual GDP of South Africa.”

@avantecheri beamed:

“I'm just proud he was a son of South Africa! Look what came out of this place. Well done to him for using his genius to get there. 👏”

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi fires back at Elon Musk

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Mbuyiseni Ndlozi responded to Elon Musk after the billionaire criticised South Africa’s B-BEE laws and compared them to apartheid.

In his fiery post, the African Renaissance Podcast host warned the SpaceX and Tesla owner and CEO.

Source: Briefly News