Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is refusing to back down after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk threatened to sue him, declaring, “You’re not going to be able to intimidate me.”
The dispute between Khanna and Musk began after Khanna argued that Department of Government Efficiency-backed cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development could put the lives of as many as 4.5 million children who rely on foreign aid at risk.
Khanna’s criticism comes as DOGE faced scrutiny. In May, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully terminated hundreds of humanities grants through DOGE, concluding that the cuts were rooted in discriminatory treatment. Musk initially oversaw DOGE during its early stages.
Musk responded in a post on X, writing, “Time to sue this liar.”
Pushing back against Musk’s comment, Khanna responded on X, saying: “Today, Elon Musk threatened to sue me, and he called on the Justice Department to put me in prison, that’s right. The world’s richest person has spent all day tweeting, going after me.”
Khanna, who has said he is considering a run for the presidency in 2028, challenged Musk to debate publicly rather than pursue legal action.
“You know Elon, I thought you were a free speech guy, why not debate me on these issues instead of threatening lawfare?” Khanna said.
Khanna framed the confrontation as part of a broader pattern throughout his political career, pointing to past battles against powerful political and economic interests.
“I’m the guy who stood up to the Epstein class and worked with [Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY)] to get the Epstein files released. I’m the guy who stood up against [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee] and called out a genocide. And I’m the guy who stood up to billionaires in my district, who ran someone against me, and still called for a wealth tax,” Khanna said.
MUSK VOWS TO SUE RO KHANNA OVER CLAIM USAID CUTS HARMED 4.5 MILLION CHILDREN
Khanna also cast the dispute as a broader fight over political accountability and concentrated wealth.
“I’m not going to be intimidated or silenced,” Khanna said. “I need your help. I need the help of folks to sign this petition and help me stand up to power and fight for truth and justice.”