Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) joked Thursday about the “terrible breakup” between Elon Musk and liberals, as Democrats denounce the tech billionaire’s prominent role in the Trump administration.
After Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) referred to Musk as “co-president” at a Senate Banking Committee hearing, Moreno slammed Democrats’ approach to the Tesla and SpaceX CEO as “ironic” given his work on electric vehicles (EVs).
“What a terrible breakup between the left and Elon Musk,” the Ohio Republican said. “I mean, I’m convinced Taylor Swift is going to write a song about this someday.”
Democrats have repeatedly criticized Musk as he has taken on a key role leading the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to slash government spending and the federal workforce.
Musk’s association with the administration has begun to weigh on his companies, particularly Tesla. The EV company’s stock has plummeted more than 40 percent since late December.
Liberals have sought to distance themselves from Tesla in recent weeks, with some ditching Musk’s cars or purchasing bumper stickers to display their frustration with the tech billionaire.
In turn, conservatives have come to Tesla’s defense — a surprising about-face given the right’s typical aversion to EVs.
President Trump vowed to buy a Tesla after testing several models in front of the White House. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick encouraged Americans to buy Tesla stock. Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity purchased one of Musk’s cars.
The administration has also promised to crack down on violent demonstrations targeting Tesla, as its cars, dealerships and charging stations have faced vandalism, shootings and arson attacks in recent weeks.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who labeled the attacks “domestic terrorism,” announced last week that three alleged perpetrators are facing federal charges.
