‘Musk Is an Idiot’: Chris Matthews Slams ‘Clown’ Billionaire’s Role in Government Shutdown
By Jake Beardslee ·
December 21, 2024
On Friday's edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, former host Chris Matthews launched into a fiery critique of Elon Musk and his perceived influence on government operations. Matthews labeled Musk as a "clown" and a "fool," expressing concerns over Musk’s alleged interference with GOP lawmakers. Edward Kimmel / Justin Pacheco / Wikimedia
During his impassioned monologue, Matthews also reflected on Donald Trump’s presidency, specifically criticizing his Cabinet selections, which he called "dead fish." Turning his attention to Musk, Matthews remarked, "Musk is an idiot. He may be a genius at making money, but we have to kill this habit of thinking everybody who knows how to make money with e-cars or whatever else, somehow knows something about civics." JASON BEAN/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Matthews argued that Musk’s supposed lack of understanding of governmental processes is detrimental, stating, "He doesn't know anything about running the House of Representatives. He doesn't know anything about getting a majority vote." He further emphasized the importance of understanding legislative basics, referencing former Democratic Senator Howard Baker’s wisdom on the necessity of securing votes in Congress. Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Taking aim at Musk's role in governance, Matthews declared, "This clown... knows nothing about government... they make money? Okay, but stop running the United States government –– that's what Musk is doing right now this weekend." Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Matthews also speculated that Donald Trump may be strategically distancing himself from Musk, implying that Trump is setting Musk up for failure in the political sphere. He theorized, "Trump is planning to destroy Elon Musk. He puts him out there... and he has him destroy himself because he can't work with the Congress... he can't get 218 votes, which is the name of the game in the House of Representatives." Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
