Rep. Marcy Kaptur set off a firestorm online. She questioned Elon Musk’s allegiance to the U.S., noting he’s been a citizen for “only” 22 years.
"Mr. Musk has just been here 22 years," Kaptur said. "And he’s a citizen of three countries. I always ask myself the question, with the damage he’s doing here, when push comes to shove, which country is his loyalty to? South Africa? Canada? Or the United States?"
Kaptur has been in Congress since 1983. Her comments immediately sparked backlash. Conservatives accused her of hypocrisy, saying Republicans would be crucified for similar remarks.
"Just like @elonmusk, I immigrated LEGALLY and pledged my full loyalty to America," Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno posted on X. "But Democrats just see us as cheap labor. If you step out of line, they say you don’t belong here. It’s disgusting."
Greg Price from the White House Rapid Response team also weighed in. "Rep Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) is now a nativist when it comes to Elon Musk," he posted.
The White House’s official rapid response account called Kaptur’s remarks a "new low."
Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams chimed in. "Is she really saying this about immigrants?" he posted.
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News noted the shift in rhetoric. "A new tone for House Democrats..." he posted on X.
NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella didn’t hold back. "Kaptur’s disgusting remark exposes the Democrats’ descent into nativist rhetoric," he told Fox News. "They champion open borders when it benefits them but resort to xenophobic attacks when an immigrant doesn’t align with their political agenda."
Ramesh Ponnuru of National Review called Musk the "only immigrant the Democrats aren’t for."
Matt Whitlock, a Republican strategist, mocked the attack. "That Elon has only been a citizen for 22 years? This is the dumbest opposition I’ve ever seen," he posted.
"If a Republican said this, they would be canceled," Macarena Martinez, Sen. Ted Cruz’s communications director, wrote.
Kaptur, 78, had previously signed a 2019 House resolution condemning Trump for supposed xenophobic remarks. It stated immigrants "make America stronger" and "naturalized citizens are just as American as those whose families have been here for generations."
Musk continues to anger Democrats with his budget cuts. But polling suggests most Americans support DOGE’s mission.