Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said late Wednesday that he considers Elon Musk’s statements that he’s a “creep” and a “jerk” a "badge of honor."
“Well, that’s a badge of honor if he thinks I am,” Walz said on MSNBC about the tech billionaire's insults, made in response to the former Democratic vice presidential nominee's quip about sinking Tesla stock prices.
Walz during the interview also targeted Musk over cuts by his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“He’s taking it and laughing with his chainsaw about destroying the lives and undermining things and institutions that make life better for Minnesotans,” the governor said.
“Of course he doesn’t care about these agencies because he has all this money. Can you imagine being the richest man in the world and taking offense that I said something about Tesla stock,” he added.
Musk has claimed people older than 100 were receiving Social Security benefits in his justifications for cuts to the agency. The acting Social Security Administration commissioner pushed back on those claims.
Musk has also suggested that $500 billion to $700 billion in waste could be cut from federal entitlement programs.
Republicans have criticized the billionaire over his quips that Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme” during an interview with Joe Rogan.
“It doesn’t help the president when you have somebody who clearly is not worried about whether or not Social Security benefits are going to be there for them leading the effort to shrink the Social Security Administration,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), referring to Musk.
“It worries Americans all over the country. This is why Social Security has been kind of viewed as the untouchable from a political perspective, and why the president made very clear we’re not dealing with Social Security,” she added.
Individuals outraged over proposed reductions have banded together under the “Tesla Takedown” movement to encourage people across the globe to sell their Tesla stock and the company's electric vehicles to send a financial message to its CEO about his work in the Republican administration.
Some demonstrations have turned violent, leading federal prosecutors to pursue cases against alleged vandals.
“Tesla’s a peaceful company that has made great cars, great products. That’s all it’s done,” Musk told Fox News. “It hasn’t harmed anyone.”
