Michael Steele Rips Into Elon Musk: ‘Who the hell is this man?’ After Tech Billionaire’s Spat with Trump’s Base
Michael Steele is seen at the Pasadena Convention Center, California. Steele said on Saturday morning that he is “fed up” with Republicans’ claims about the 2020 election being stolen from Donald Trump. Michael Schwartz/Getty Images
MSNBC host Michael Steele didn’t hold back on Sunday when discussing Elon Musk’s recent confrontation with Donald Trump’s base over the issue of foreign workers. Steele, reacting to Musk’s comments about the need for more H-1B foreign workers, lashed out at the tech billionaire during a segment on The Weekend. Musk had stirred controversy after a heated exchange on X, where he told a commenter, “f–k you in the face,” over a disagreement about the need for foreign labor.
Steele, visibly frustrated, began by addressing the heart of the matter, pointing out how Musk’s rhetoric had upset many of Trump’s supporters. “You’ve got Vivek [Ramaswamy] and Elon sitting here talking about how lazy white men are, just to break this down because that is what they said, that is why everybody got upset,” Steele said, emphasizing the offensive tone Musk seemed to take in his exchange.
Steele also pointed out the political tension Musk had created by siding with foreign workers. “Elon may want to go to war on an issue like this but he’s going to war against a base that does not want Vivek Ramaswamy here, even though he’s a citizen,” Steele added with a laugh, highlighting the irony of Musk, who has voiced support for foreign workers, going against the views of a segment of Trump’s electorate.
Steele didn’t stop there, taking aim at Musk’s stance on hiring and his general disregard for Trump’s base. “Elon Musk is not hiring Donald Trump’s base to come work at SpaceX. Can we be clear about that? He’s not hiring that base to come work at Google or whatever company he buys next,” Steele said, asserting that Musk’s actions didn’t align with the populist ideals held by Trump’s supporters.
Turning his attention to Musk’s fiery response to critics, Steele questioned the tech mogul’s authority in the debate. “Who the hell is this man?” Steele exclaimed. He then added, “Except an immigrant,” pointing out the irony of Musk—who himself is an immigrant—taking a harsh stance against American workers.
Steele’s remarks reflect growing tension over Musk’s role in the political discourse, particularly as he continues to influence public opinion while clashing with key political factions.
