New Delhi: A day after trillionaire Elon Musk threatened to sue Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, the Tesla founder has now dubbed the politician “Robber Khanna.”
The beef between the two started over the budget cuts implemented by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Khanna told CNBC on 22 June that according to a study by The Lancet, the reduction in US foreign aid could sentence over 4.5 million children to death globally. He further challenged the tech entrepreneur to a public debate on the matter.
“We can have a conversation of ideas if he believes in free speech and free expression about these issues,” Khanna said.
Following the accusations, the X CEO said that Khanna should be arrested.
“Time to sue this liar,” Musk tweeted.
To which, Khanna responded: “It’s not pleasant to have the world’s richest person with the biggest platform on X go say you should be in prison and that he’s going to sue you, and then I’m a liar.”
DOGE-y issues
Earlier this month, on 11 June, a US Department of Justice press release declared that USAID officials, along with three corporate officials, pleaded guilty to decade-long bribery schemes. In an X post, Musk reshared the announcement, claiming that it was “a total lie.”
“All DOGE did was require contact with the aid recipients to confirm that funds were being used legitimately. Anything less than this is insane! Multiple people from USAID have been charged by the Justice Department with stealing money. Moreover, they pled GUILTY,” Musk wrote.
This, however, is not the first instance of Musk’s strenuous relationship with the Democrats. In the past few months, several US lawmakers have criticised his political influence, business practices, and role in government initiatives. Musk’s latest feud with Khanna shows how debates over federal spending, foreign aid, and financial backing can cause issues and controversies for future election cycles.