CNN host Brianna Keilar pressed Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) about her social media post that used curse words to attack billionaire Elon Musk over his efforts to reform and trim the size of the federal government.
In her social media post last month, Smith said of Musk’s request that all federal employees respond to an email outlining the work they are doing: “This is the ultimate d‑‑‑ boss move from Musk – except he isn’t even the boss, he’s just a d‑‑‑ … I’m on the side of the workers, not the billionaire a‑‑hole bosses.”
Keilar pressed Smith about that rhetoric during an interview on the cable channel Wednesday.
“Democratic voters want more from your party. They want to see you opposing Trump in a more fulsome way,” the anchor said. “So, I mean, I ask you this sincerely: What’s the value in that kind of language in communication? Is that the best way to communicate the stakes of the moment that the country’s in?”
Smith replied, “people want to see fight.”
“They want to see some urgency in this moment that we’re in,” the Democrat continued. “And I think with that tweet that I did, it touched a nerve with millions of people, because everybody has had the experience of having some boss who treats them with disrespect, who denigrates their work and is just basically using big power-play moves to … terrorize them.”
Wednesday’s interview was first highlighted by Mediaite.
Musk’s efforts, through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, have sparked widespread condemnation from Democrats and federal workforce unions.
President Trump has voiced support for Musk, calling him a “patriot” who is trying to help the country and this week saying he would buy a Tesla amid protests across the country over Musk’s involvement in the administration.
Smith announced last month she would not run for reelection in 2026.
