Elon Musk Rips ‘Senator Karen’ Elizabeth Warren in Lengthy Online Spat

Joshua KleinDecember 17, 2021

After Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) attacked “freeloading” Billionaire Elon Musk following his selection as Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year,” the space entrepreneur hit back — referring to Warren as “Senator Karen,” comparing her to an angry mom, and telling her to “stop projecting.”

Tesla founder Elon Musk hit back on Tuesday after Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren attacked the tech billionaire following his naming as Time’s “Person of the Year” on Monday.

On her official campaign account, the Massachusetts senator shared a mock image of Musk’s “Time Person of the Year” cover, blasting him for “getting richer during the pandemic” while avoiding taxes.

When someone makes it big in America—millionaire big, billionaire big, Person of the Year big—part of it has to include paying it forward so the next kid can get a chance, too. https://t.co/OQUYXf5kIq

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 13, 2021

From her official Senate account, the 72-year-old Warren did not hold back her feelings on Musk’s nomination.

“Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else,” she wrote.

Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else. https://t.co/jqQxL9Run6

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 13, 2021

In response, Musk highlighted a past controversy revolving around Warren’s alleged falsification of her ethnic background.

“Stop projecting!” he replied while sharing a piece describing her as a “fraud” and detailing her long history of misrepresenting her alleged Native American heritage.

But the SpaceX CEO didn’t stop there.

“You remind me of when I was a kid and my friend’s angry Mom would just randomly yell at everyone for no reason,” he tweeted shortly after.

In a tweet that as of Thursday morning received over 140,000 likes — nearly three times as many as Warren’s original — Musk ridiculed Warren again, this time referring to her as “Senator Karen.”

“Please don’t call the manager on me, Senator Karen,” he quipped.

Please don’t call the manager on me, Senator Karen 🙏

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021

The term “Karen” is often used as slang for entitled, obnoxious, and overbearing women, often used mockingly in reference to white women.

On Wednesday, in an interview with MSNBC’s Joy Reid — who called Musk “the absolute worst” — Warren responded by saying, “’The world’s richest freeloader evidently has a very thin skin.”

Sen. @ewarren responds to @elonmusk on @thereidout: “The world’s richest freeloader evidently has a very thin skin.” #TheReidOut #reiders pic.twitter.com/FkgeSWtl8b

— The ReidOut (@thereidout) December 16, 2021

In response, the outspoken billionaire struck back at Reid for her overblown defense of Warren.

“(Lack of) Joy Reid is a lobbyist for Sen Karen,” Musk said on Thursday.

(Lack of) Joy Reid is a lobbyist for Sen Karen

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 16, 2021

Musk, who is expected to pay a tax bill of over $15 billion in the coming months on stock options he was awarded back in 2012, retaliated further, claiming he’ll “pay more taxes than any American in history this year.”

And if you opened your eyes for 2 seconds, you would realize I will pay more taxes than any American in history this year

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021

“Don’t spend it all at once,” he teased in a follow-up tweet, “oh wait you did already.”

After spotting a clip showing Warren deplaning from a private jet, Musk called out the senator for hypocrisy.

What a hypocrite!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 15, 2021

Some prominent political voices also weighed in on the Twitter feud.

“Elizabeth Warren says @elonmusk is a freeloader. But which of the two has created new innovations, new products, new wealth, new possibilities for the future?” asked conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza.

“One’s a visionary; the other is a professional fake who cashed in on pretending to be a Native American,” he added. “What a contrast!”

Elizabeth Warren says @elonmusk is a freeloader. But which of the two has created new innovations, new products, new wealth, new possibilities for the future? One’s a visionary; the other is a professional fake who cashed in on pretending to be a Native American. What a contrast!

— Dinesh D’Souza (@DineshDSouza) December 15, 2021

“They modeled ‘Karen’ on Elizabeth,” quipped Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

They modeled ‘Karen’ on Elizabeth. https://t.co/xm71TGItmB

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 15, 2021

“Elon Musk contributes more to this country in one day than Elizabeth Warren will in her entire existence,” wrote Ohio State Rep. Mike Loychik (R).

Elon Musk contributes more to this country in one day than Elizabeth Warren will in her entire existence.

— Representative Mike Loychik (@MikeLoychik) December 15, 2021

This is not the first time Musk has feuded with progressive lawmakers.

Last month, after Senate Budget Committee Chairman and self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said, “We must demand that the extremely wealthy pay their fair share. Period,” Musk was quick to respond:

“I keep forgetting that you’re still alive,” he replied, adding: “Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word.”

Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word …

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 14, 2021

He also spatted with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon who called for a “Billionaires Income Tax.”

Musk, officially the richest person in the world with an estimated $263 billion fortune, has often borne the brunt of relentless progressive attacks on his success.

Musk’s companies have created over 100,000 jobs over the years, while providing healthcare to taxpaying employees across the country.

In addition to taking humans to space, pioneering the manufacturing of electric cars, and revolutionizing how we travel, he has also been a leading force in investing in clean energy.

Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein