Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has unleashed a scathing critique of Elon Musk and Donald Trump, accusing them of mocking the struggles of working-class Americans. Her comments come in response to Musk’s recent $1 million daily giveaway in swing states and Trump’s unexpected appearance at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Pennsylvania.
Ocasio-Cortez, known for her outspokenness on social and economic issues, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her frustration. “These billionaires have absolutely no idea what our lives are like,” she stated, specifically addressing Musk’s giveaway. “He’s not only just dumping millions and millions of dollars here in the state of Pennsylvania, acting like he’s from here, acting like he knows what Pennsylvania is about.”
The congresswoman went on to highlight the perceived insensitivity of both Musk’s and Trump’s actions. “When you have a billionaire, just dangling a million bucks to those of us and many of us who are struggling to make ends meet, if they dance for him…” she said, drawing a parallel to Trump’s McDonald’s stint. “They’re not trying to empathize with us. They are making fun of us. Donald Trump thinks that people who work at McDonald’s are a joke. Elon Musk thinks that dangling money in front of a working person is a cute thing to do.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s message conveyed a clear message of outrage and a call for voters to see through what she perceives as disingenuous attempts at connecting with the working class. She urged her audience to instead support Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
Musk’s giveaway, a part of his pro-Trump super PAC, America PAC, aims to gather support for the First and Second Amendments. This move has been met with skepticism, including from fellow billionaire Mark Cuban. Meanwhile, Trump’s McDonald’s appearance, captured on social media by former White House press assistant Margo Martin, is seen as a jab at Vice President Harris’s past work experience at the fast-food chain.
Ocasio-Cortez’s criticism highlights the complexities of billionaire philanthropy and political maneuvering in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Her words are sure to spark debate about the sincerity of these gestures and their impact on the perception of wealth and power in American politics.