Corrupt Liz Cheney’s Latest Attack Backfires Spectacularly
Former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney, now a vocal critic of President Trump, found herself at the center of an online controversy after making a joke about Elon Musk, the billionaire tech mogul and head of the cryptocurrency DOGE. Cheney, who has faced pushback from conservatives due to her alignment with establishment figures, sought to depict Musk as lacking an understanding of America’s role in upholding democracy.
However, her remarks ignited a wave of backlash, exposing lingering frustrations regarding her political history and past affiliations. Political analyst and former State Department official Mike Benz highlighted Cheney’s previous work with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization that has faced scrutiny for questionable spending. This revelation set off the debate.
USAID had previously disclosed that it allocated twenty million dollars to an Iraqi program called “Ahlan Simsim,” a project inspired by Sesame Street. This disclosure sparked outrage as many viewed it as a misuse of taxpayer funds for entertainment initiatives overseas.
Musk’s reaction to Benz’s post was succinct—he simply responded with one word: “Interesting.”
Rather than ignoring the mounting discussion, Cheney decided to respond to Musk directly. “Damn right, @Elon. I’m proud of what America did to win the Cold War, defeat Soviet communism, and defend democracy.”
“Our nation stood for freedom. You may be unfamiliar with that part of our history since you weren’t yet an American citizen,” Cheney stated.
Her remarks triggered widespread criticism. Many perceived Cheney’s response as a desperate attempt to remain relevant while also subtly undermining Musk’s legitimacy due to his South African origins.
Columnist Mollie Hemingway offered a pointed counter: “He is an American by choice instead of by birth, which is a weird thing to insult someone over, but more importantly, he didn’t commit so many crimes against the country that he had to be pardoned by Joe Biden, so he’s got that going for him.”
The resurfacing of Cheney’s highly publicized acceptance of a pardon from the Biden administration fueled further skepticism about her political motives. Others raised concerns about her involvement in military and diplomatic decisions that contributed to the very foreign entanglements Musk has criticized, citing her close ties to the Pentagon and foreign policy establishment.
Critics accused Cheney of hypocrisy, pointing out that her support for costly foreign interventions and increased surveillance programs undermined her claims of defending American principles. The pushback against her remarks wasn’t limited to Musk’s supporters.
Libertarians and anti-interventionists also chimed in, mocking Cheney’s stance on USAID expenditures and questioning whether programs like the Iraq-based Sesame Street warranted her condescending tone. The controversy deepened when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a watchdog organization monitoring government waste, previously flagged USAID for funding multiple projects deemed excessive or unnecessary.
Even some individuals typically critical of Musk believed Cheney’s response was misguided. Her decision to emphasize his citizenship status rather than address his argument substantively came across as elitist and detached. As several users noted, her remarks exemplified the establishment politics that many within Trump’s movement have actively rejected.