In a whirlwind day for billionaire rankings, Elon Musk reclaimed his spot as the world’s richest person on September 10, 2025, after Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison briefly dethroned him amid a massive stock surge. This fleeting shift, driven by Oracle’s explosive earnings report, highlights the volatile nature of tech fortunes—but it also spotlights a deeper narrative: Musk’s high-profile alliance with President Donald Trump, contrasted with Ellison’s longstanding ties, and questions about “no support” from the White House boosting Tesla.
How Ellison Eclipsed Musk – and Musk Bounced Back
On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, Oracle’s shares skyrocketed over 40%—the company’s largest single-day gain since 1992—propelled by stellar quarterly results and a bullish outlook on its cloud infrastructure and AI sectors. This propelled Ellison’s net worth to a staggering $393 billion, edging out Musk’s $385 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The 81-year-old Oracle chairman and CTO saw his wealth balloon by a record $101 billion in a single day, fueled by surging demand for data centers and cloud services, with Oracle projecting 77% growth in cloud revenue to $18 billion this year.
But the lead was short-lived. By day’s end, Oracle shares pared some gains, allowing Musk, 54, to reclaim the top spot by a slim $1 billion margin. Musk had held the title for nearly a year since reclaiming it in 2024, after previous tussles with Jeff Bezos and Bernard Arnault. As of September 11, 2025, Forbes pegs Musk at $439.9 billion and Ellison at $399.7 billion, underscoring the razor-thin competition.
From an insider angle, this isn’t just about stocks—it’s a tale of two tech titans with divergent paths. Ellison’s fortune is predominantly tied to Oracle, which has capitalized on the AI boom without the EV market’s headwinds plaguing Tesla. Wall Street responded enthusiastically: Wolfe Research hiked Oracle’s price target to $400 (implying a $1.12 trillion market cap), while Bank of America and Jefferies raised theirs to $368 and $360, respectively.
The Trump Factor:
Central to this story is the Trump connection, which adds a layer of political intrigue. Musk, a vocal Trump supporter during the 2024 election, endorsed the former president, donated millions to his campaign, and even co-chaired the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative in Trump’s second administration. Yet, despite this alignment, some speculate Musk has received “no support” in key areas—like favorable EV policies or government contracts—that could have bolstered Tesla amid its 2025 share decline.
Contrast this with Ellison, often dubbed a “Trump ally.” The Oracle founder has maintained close White House ties, appearing alongside Trump at tech events, including meetings with OpenAI’s Sam Altman and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son in January 2025. Oracle’s government contracts have flourished under Trump, with reports of a potential $500 billion deal sparking speculation on X about insider trading involving Trump administration figures. Ellison’s support for Trump dates back years, including fundraising and policy advocacy during Trump’s first term.
This disparity raises questions: Has Musk’s Trump bet backfired? Tesla shares have tumbled this year, shedding value amid regulatory hurdles and market saturation, while Oracle thrives on AI-driven government and enterprise deals. X users have fueled the narrative, with one post claiming Musk’s Trump support was an “attack on Americans” and predicting further losses for the Tesla CEO. Another highlighted the irony: “Elon Musk loses world’s richest title to Trump’s ally.”
Political Plays, Market Shifts, and Billionaire Dynamics
Peeling back the layers, the “no support from Trump” angle stems from perceived favoritism. While Musk pushed for deregulation in space and EVs via DOGE, critics argue Trump’s administration has prioritized traditional tech infrastructure—like Oracle’s cloud services for federal data centers—over Musk’s ventures. Oracle’s rosy projections align with Trump’s push for U.S. AI dominance, potentially benefiting from policy tailwinds that Tesla hasn’t seen.
Musk’s fortunes have been rocky: Tesla’s market cap dipped below $800 billion in mid-2025, down from peaks, amid competition from Chinese EV makers and supply chain issues. Ellison, meanwhile, has quietly built a $200 billion+ stake in Oracle, leveraging its pivot to cloud computing since stepping down as CEO in 2014.
A unique perspective: This isn’t Musk’s first rodeo. He first became richest in 2021, lost it multiple times, and held it for over 300 days before this blip. But with Ellison’s Trump proximity, some see a subtle power shift in tech’s political orbit. X chatter amplifies this, with posts tying the overtake to broader events like “Charlie Kirk dead, Trump’s letter to Epstein exposed,” framing it as karmic for Musk.
What’s Next for Musk and the Billionaire Leaderboard?
As Musk reclaims the throne, eyes are on Tesla’s Q3 earnings and potential Trump policies post-2025 midterms. If EV incentives or SpaceX contracts materialize, Musk could solidify his lead. For Ellison, Oracle’s AI trajectory suggests more gains ahead.
This episode underscores the fragility of wealth tied to stocks—and how political alliances can influence fortunes. Whether Trump’s “support” materializes for Musk remains a hot topic, but for now, the Tesla chief is back on top, proving resilience in the face of rivals and market tempests.
