Some Twitter beef has well and truly kicked off between Elon Musk and Senator Elizabeth Warren - as the billionaire called her “Senator Karen” after she accused him of “freeloading off everyone else,” and said he should pay more tax.
Musk was recently announced as Time’s Person of the Year for 2021, which some critics called “the worst choice ever” due to his tax affairs, his opposition to unions and downplaying the Covid pandemic, The Guardian reported.
It appears Warren was also not best pleased when she heard the news and took to Twitter to slam the Space X and Tesla CEO, accusing him of “freeloading off everyone else” thanks to the “rigged tax code” which she wants to change.
“Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else,” she tweeted.
Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyon… https://t.co/TFpOjiMlo6— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren) 1639409443
Those were words that Musk didn’t take kindly to and so he responded and told Warren to “Stop projecting!” along with sharing a Fox News article titled: “Elizabeth Warren is a fraud -- Her lies about being Native American disqualify her from presidency, Senate.”
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As you can guess from the title, not exactly a gleaming article about Warren - which claims that she lied about having Native American heritage.
In 2019, Warren apologised to the Native American community for overstating her Native American heritage, The Independent reported. “I am sorry for harm I have caused. I have listened and I have learned a lot, and I am grateful for the many conversations that we’ve had together,” she said.
@SenWarren Stop projecting! https://t.co/Kibp6aS9vL— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1639512693
In another tweet, the 50-year-old took another shot at Warren and added: “You remind me of when I was a kid and my friend’s angry mom would just randomly yell at everyone for no reason.”
Not quite finished, he joked: “Please don’t call the manager on me, Senator Karen.”
(If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, the term “Karen” is used to describe a rude, racist, middle-class white woman who uses her privilege to belittle and intimidate others and is often associated with wanting to “speak to the manager” when things don’t go their way in a shop or restaurant for example.)
@SenWarren Please don’t call the manager on me, Senator Karen 🙏— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1639514979
A few hours later, and obviously still irked by Warren’s comment, Musk came back with some further responses, and told the Senator: “And if you opened your eyes for 2 seconds, you would realize I will pay more taxes than any American in history this year.”
(Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Musk is the richest man in the world...)
@SenWarren 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 (@Elon Musk) 1639524605
Before he concluded things with a not-so-subtle dig at government spending: “Don’t spend it all at once ... oh wait you already did.”
@SenWarren Don’t spend it all at once … oh wait you did already— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1639524782
The responses from Musk to Warren certainly gained the attention of people on Twitter.
Many weren’t impressed with Musk’s latest round of tweets and some argued that he wasn’t using the term “Karen” in the correct context.
@elonmusk @SenWarren Clever use of casual mysogony to distract people from the fact you don't pay your taxes https://t.co/65ni5e3Frb— Don Moynihan (@Don Moynihan) 1639516792
@elonmusk @SenWarren "With great power there must also come great responsibility". If I had your wealth, I certai… https://t.co/anlttUYJlJ— Siren Stephanie (@Siren Stephanie) 1639525469
@elonmusk @SenWarren Why shouldn’t you pay taxes? We all have to! Pay your fair share.— Kimberly (@Kimberly) 1639523132
@elonmusk @SenWarren If the term "Karen" hasn't lost all meaning already, it has now. No, white dudes, "Karen" doe… https://t.co/YAu2lSGG0O— WeirwoodTreeHugger (@WeirwoodTreeHugger) 1639522042
This is his response when Sen. Warren said hey maybe a guy worth $297 billion should pay more taxes https://t.co/GBqI8N5gZs— Secular Talk🎙 (@Secular Talk🎙) 1639532589
I’ll never understand white guys using Karen especially in this kind of way. What’s not clicking?? https://t.co/ak72k1rys0— GC says #FreeMarvinGuy (@GC says #FreeMarvinGuy) 1639530347
Habibi, I don't think you understand what a Karen is. Forcing your entitled ass to pay your taxes isn't being a "Ka… https://t.co/g255P43Kgl— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@Dr. Abdul El-Sayed) 1639529609
While others defended Musk over making the most out of the tax loopholes that Warren criticised him for using, and loved the “Senator Karen” zinger.
@elonmusk @SenWarren Why is she mad about him using the tax loopholes that congress hasn’t closed lol. Everyone on… https://t.co/Hdu1RIqTDx— Matt Hanson (@Matt Hanson) 1639516217
@elonmusk @SenWarren warren warre warr war ar ka kar kare karen— Aubrey Strobel (@Aubrey Strobel) 1639550282
Tweet of the year https://t.co/t41gsgmL2n— Jenna Ellis (@Jenna Ellis) 1639547918
Well obviously have to retweet this. https://t.co/AzU3cl2H4x— Dan Crenshaw (@Dan Crenshaw) 1639528217
They modeled ‘Karen’ on Elizabeth. https://t.co/xm71TGItmB— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@Sen. Marsha Blackburn) 1639537857
I would MUCH rather Elon's money be invested in the economy than squandered by the government. https://t.co/u0beprPnSg— James Swan (@James Swan) 1639540907
@elonmusk @SenWarren Taxing people won’t fix all the problems. There are fundamental issues that need to be addressed.— Tesla Silicon Valley Club (@Tesla Silicon Valley Club) 1639524897
Musk has also been defended by none other than Piers Morgan who said that while Musk isn’t “isn’t everyone’s cup of tea,” those criticising TIME’s decision are “whiny woke wastrels” who are “throwing their toys out of their strollers.”