Discontinued Operations Income From Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income from discontinued operations	$ (32)	$ 1,764
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises	$ (32)	1,720
Discontinued operations and held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		6,221
Other revenues from operations		892
Interest and dividend income		5
Gain on disposition of assets, net		65
Other income, net		19
Revenue		7,202
Cost of goods sold		5,214
Other expenses from operations		425
Selling, general and administrative		879
Restructuring, net		13
Impairment		6
Interest expense		160
Costs and expenses		6,697
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale and income tax expense		505
Gain on sale of discontinued operations		1,430
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		1,935
Income tax expense		(171)
Income from discontinued operations		1,764
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		44
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		1,720
Capital expenditures		486
Depreciation and amortization		166
Federal-Mogul | Discontinued operations and held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		5,993
Interest and dividend income		2
Gain on disposition of assets, net		65
Other income, net		5
Revenue		6,065
Cost of goods sold		4,999
Selling, general and administrative		601
Restructuring, net		13
Impairment		2
Interest expense		137
Costs and expenses		5,752
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale and income tax expense		313
Gain on sale of discontinued operations		251
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		564
Income tax expense		(69)
Income from discontinued operations		495
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		7
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		488
Capital expenditures		303
Depreciation and amortization		100
Tropicana | Discontinued operations and held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Other revenues from operations		679
Interest and dividend income		1
Other income, net		1
Revenue		681
Other expenses from operations		311
Selling, general and administrative		238
Interest expense		4
Costs and expenses		553
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale and income tax expense		128
Gain on sale of discontinued operations		779
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		907
Income tax expense		(89)
Income from discontinued operations		818
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		17
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		801
Capital expenditures		58
Depreciation and amortization		19
American Railcar Industries | Discontinued operations and held for sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		228
Other revenues from operations		213
Interest and dividend income		2
Other income, net		13
Revenue		456
Cost of goods sold		215
Other expenses from operations		114
Selling, general and administrative		40
Impairment		4
Interest expense		19
Costs and expenses		392
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale and income tax expense		64
Gain on sale of discontinued operations		400
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		464
Income tax expense		(13)
Income from discontinued operations		451
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		20
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		431
Capital expenditures		125
Depreciation and amortization		$ 47