Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk got into a spat with Bernie Sanders after the US senator demanded the wealthy pay their "fair share" of taxes.
"We must demand that the extremely wealthy pay their fair share. Period," Sanders wrote on Twitter. Taking a jibe at the 80-year-old senator, Musk responded by saying "I keep forgetting that you're still alive."
The billionaire CEO who had already offloaded a combined $6.9 billion worth of shares in the electric car company as of November 12, further wrote, "Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word."
Sanders' tweet comes amid the backdrop of Washington's efforts to hike taxes for the super-wealthy.
US Senate Democrats have unveiled a proposal to tax billionaires' stocks and other tradeable assets to help finance President Joe Biden's social spending agenda and close a loophole that has allowed them to defer capital gains taxes indefinitely.
A week ago, Musk tweeted that he would sell 10 per cent of his shares if users of the social media platform endorsed the move. About 57.9 per cent of people voted for the stock sale.


Ten killed in Australia Bondi Beach shooting, two in custody
Brown University shooting leaves 2 dead, 9 injured as police search for killer
India tightens pollution curbs as Delhi's air quality worsens
'Peace is not far away' says Erdogan after Putin meeting
Belarus frees Nobel winner, protest figures as US lifts more sanctions
