Kimbal Musk is making headlines for his criticism of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, calling them a “structural, permanent tax on American consumer”. “Who would have thought that Trump was actually the most high tax American President in generations,” he wrote on X, explaining how higher prices due to tariffs will lead to reduced purchasing power. “America has incredible strengths. We should play to those strengths, and not be forced to play to our weaknesses. Same with the rest of the world”, he added. Here’s everything you need to know about Kimbal Musk
Who is Kimbal Musk
Born on September 20, 1972, in Pretoria, South Africa, Kimbal is a South African-Canadian-American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and restaurateur. He is the younger brother of Elon Musk and Tosca Musk. Kimbal pursued a degree in business at Queen’s University in Canada, graduating in 1995.
Kimbal is known for his signature cowboy hat, which he has been wearing since 2014. He is married to environmental activist Christiana Wyly, daughter of entrepreneur Sam Wyly, and resides in Boulder, Colorado.
In 1995, Kimbal co-founded Zip2, a software company that provided business directories and maps for newspapers, alongside his brother Elon. The company was acquired by Compaq in 1999.
In the following years, Kimbal shifted his focus to the food sector. He co-founded The Kitchen Restaurant Group, a collection of community-focused, farm-to-table restaurants operating in cities such as Boulder, Denver, Chicago, and Austin. In 2016, he co-founded Square Roots, an urban farming company that utilizes hydroponic, indoor, climate-controlled shipping containers to grow food.
Kimbal Musk’s role in Tesla, SpaceX and Chipotle
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Kimbal has served on the boards of several prominent companies, including Tesla Inc., SpaceX, and Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Kimbal is also dedicated to philanthropic efforts in the food and education sectors. He co-founded Big Green, a nonprofit organization that has built hundreds of outdoor classrooms called Learning Gardens in schoolyards across the US.
Kimbal Musk’s relationship with Elon Musk
Despite their close professional ties, the brothers have experienced conflicts. During their Zip2 days, they reportedly had intense disagreements, sometimes leading to physical altercations. Kimbal told Times in July 2024 that he and Elon “literally used to get into fistfights” as kids, adding that they used to always patch things up quickly.
“We might be angry as heck in the moment, and then five minutes later we want to watch a movie together,” he then said.
Despite occasional disagreements, their bond has remained strong. In May 2020, Kimbal expressed his admiration for Elon after SpaceX launched two NASA astronauts into space. He then shared a photo of his family on Instagram, writing: “Today was history in the making. Such an incredible day. I’m so proud of everyone @SpaceX, @nasa, and most of all my brother.”
Tosca describes her siblings having a close relationship as children and have maintained their bond despite living in different cities. “I don’t know if they’ll agree with me but I think we share a lot of characteristics. We certainly enjoy each other’s company. We try to see each other as often as possible,” she told Sunday Times. “Kimbal’s a chef so he’ll cook dinner. Normally, we’re just hanging around the table and having a chat and laughing,” she added.
