Facing an increasing divide with MAGA-aligned conservatives, Elon Musk warned that "hateful, unrepentant racists" within the Republican Party could lead to its downfall.
Musk's remarks on X came amid escalating criticism from Trump loyalists over his support for the H-1B visa program and foreign workers, which they claim undermines "America First" labor priorities.
Trump's appointment of Indian-American venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as an AI adviser further fueled the controversy, as Musk, once embraced by MAGA influencers, and Vivek Ramaswamy, his co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), contend with a barrage of backlash for recent statements in support of highly skilled worker immigration.
Prominent right-wing figures like Laura Loomer and Owen Shroyer accused Musk of retaliating against their criticism by removing their verification badges, demonetizing their accounts and suspending them on his platform, X. Loomer labeled Musk a hypocrite, accusing him of silencing free speech despite his proclaimed commitment to free expression.
Musk dismissed the claims indirectly, tweeting about combating spam and coordinated attacks. In other tweets, Musk expounded on his support of skilled worker immigration and implied its opponents are racist.
The billionaire affirmed an Indian American woman who critiqued the Republican party, tweeting, "They don't see you as one of them. And never will." Musk agreed that MAGA's anti-immigration ideology threatens future success. "Those contemptible fools must be removed from the Republican Party, root and stem," he wrote.
"They will absolutely be the downfall of the Republican Party if they are not removed," Musk cautioned.
A scroll through Musk's X timeline reveals a clearer picture of his definition of racism.
He reposts commentary on graphs, blaming the "Woke Mind Virus" for the assumed causal relationship between an increase in newspapers mentioning racism and a decline in public perception of race relations.
An immigrant himself, Musk espouses the value of meritocracy, condemning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs as "one form of racism/sexism," and branding MAGA's blanket contempt for immigration as another.
The Republican Party faces increasing divisions as the debate over immigration and labor policies continues to pit Trump loyalists against figures like Musk and Ramaswamy, who advocate for a broader approach to skilled worker immigration. Whether Musk's warning resonates with party leadership remains to be seen, as the growing rift highlights potential challenges ahead for the GOP.
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