Vinod Khosla publicly disavows Keith Rabois’ comments about ICE shootings

To understand the position of a steadfast Trump loyalist after U.S. Customs and Enforcement shocked the nation this weekend by shooting another American citizen in Minneapolis, look no further than Khosla Ventures partner Keith Rabois.

Rabois’ public support for ICE’s actions in the killing of Alex Pretti, made via posts on X, was so strong that Khosla Ventures partner Ethan Choi and company founder Vinod Khosla have publicly disavowed it.

Rabois argued that Pretty was wrong, writing that the protester was committing a “felony.” One of Rabois’ posts said:[N]o Law enforcement shot an innocent person. [I[llegals are committing violent crimes every day.” Another said: “[H]He unambiguously tried to draw his weapon. [F]Fuck you.” In another post discussing citizens’ ability to exercise their First, Second, and Fourth Amendment rights, the VC responded by writing: “[Y]But interference with law enforcement is not protected by any of these amendments.

Among other comments, Rabois went on to say that he did not believe Minneapolis police could be reliable sources in the investigation. “[I] I don’t think you should ask any law enforcement in Minnesota. But I’m very open to reading perspectives from any other urban area. Instead, he blamed the city police for the situation. “Because the Minnesota Police’s refusal to cooperate is exactly what leads to these treacherous conditions (for everyone).”

And so on.

X’s reaction was as you might expect. Other Trump supporters cheered Rabois, while those who condemned ICE’s actions argued with the investor and condemned him.

The situation escalated to the point that when one person suggested that the founders remove Khosla from their tables altogether, Khosla’s partner Choi distanced himself.

Choi posted: “I want to be clear that Keith does not represent everyone’s opinions here at @khoslaventures, at least not mine. What happened in Minnesota is clearly wrong. I don’t know how you can really see it any differently. It’s sad to see someone’s life needlessly taken.”

Then company founder Khosla himself sided with Choi. “I agree with @EthanChoi7. Macho ICE guards are running [amok] “Enabled by unconscious management,” he said in his X post.

Under normal circumstances, opposing political views can be a strength for a venture capital firm. Whatever anyone thinks of Rabois’s politics, he has been a very successful investor backing companies like DoorDash, Affirm, Faire, and Stripe, as well as co-founding Opendoor, among other startups.

But sometimes they are internally disturbed.

Sequoia was embroiled in controversy over partner Sean Maguire’s comments attacking New York City mayoral candidate Zahran Mamdani. Maguire (whose comments over the weekend on ICE are consistent with Rabois’s) remains an investor in Sequoia. But its leader at the time of the Mamdani controversy, Roelof Botha, resigned as chief superintendent in November. Botha was replaced by Alfred Lin and Pat Grady (neither of whom weighed in over the weekend).

In this case, the dispute between Khosla’s partners spilled into the open. But note that Khosla did not punish Rabois directly. (The company did not respond to our request for comment.)

When Khosla Ventures rehired Rabois in 2024, the company knew it was bringing into its ranks an outspoken, self-proclaimed “contrarian,” the kind of person who likes to blame the “woke” and praise President Trump. For Rabois’s part, he knew he would be working for an outspoken Trump critic (Vinod Khosla has made his views on Trump very clear for years).

Will the repercussions last? Maybe — but only if founders actually start eliminating Khosla Ventures from their capital tables.