Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has launched a fresh attack on Elon Musk, branding him a “billionaire conman” and questioning his qualifications to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In a recent video discussing DOGE, Ocasio-Cortez criticised the initiative and Musk’s leadership, questioning his expertise in government efficiency.
“Elon Musk is not a scientist, he is not an engineer. He is a billionaire conman with a lot of money,” she said. “He does not have this kind of good background.”
Mocking the idea that Musk is qualified for the role, she added: “If you all think he is an expert in that, I’ve got a bridge to nowhere to sell you. These are people’s lives that are on the line, and we cannot laugh them away.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks sparked debate on Reddit, with users expressing both support and criticism.
One commenter praised her boldness, writing: “She has more b**ls than anyone who calls themselves a representative of the people. We need 100 more AOCs.”
Another user compared Musk to former President Donald Trump, stating: “The difference between Trump and Elon is that Elon is better at coordinating others to do his bidding and actually following through on plans. He’s more dangerous because of that. Both are narcissists fuelled by their father’s wealth and leveraging governmental support for personal gain.”
Others criticised the role of money in politics, with one comment reading: “It’s insane that someone like her is an anomaly when she actually represents so many of our voices. Money needed to get out of politics decades ago, and now it’s running the country into the ground.”
Who Are Elon Musk and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
Elon Musk is a billionaire entrepreneur best known for leading companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. Born in South Africa, he later moved to the US and became one of the most prominent figures in the technology and business sectors. Despite not holding a formal engineering degree, Musk is widely credited with driving innovation in electric vehicles, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is a Democratic Congresswoman representing New York’s 14th congressional district. A progressive politician, she rose to prominence in 2018 after unseating a long-time incumbent in the Democratic primary. Known for her strong stance against corporate influence and economic inequality, Ocasio-Cortez frequently challenges billionaires and business leaders, including Musk.
The Debate About Musk’s IQ: A Clash of Perspectives
A recent controversy reignited the long-standing debate over Elon Musk’s intelligence. Biographer Seth Abramson claimed that Musk’s IQ ranged between 100 and 110, far from the genius level many had assumed. Abramson argued that Musk’s success resulted from luck, political connections, and corporate maneuvering rather than exceptional intellect. He contended that Musk had no significant personal intellectual achievements, having been fired from multiple companies, allegedly stolen ideas for Zip2, and relied heavily on government contracts for SpaceX’s success.
Abramson further criticized the tendency to conflate wealth with intelligence, asserting that Musk was merely an average coder and a poor business manager who exploited workers and legal loopholes. He concluded that Musk’s greatest skill was self-promotion rather than innovation.
However, critics of Abramson’s claims, including writer Noah Smith, dismissed this perspective as overly simplistic. Supporters pointed to Musk’s high SAT scores, which reportedly indicated an IQ in the mid-130s, and argued that intelligence was better reflected in real-world accomplishments rather than standardized tests. They highlighted Musk’s role in transforming the electric vehicle market with Tesla, revolutionizing space travel with SpaceX, and advancing AI research, high-speed transportation, and neural interfaces.
Musk’s defenders also emphasized that intelligence extended beyond raw IQ scores, encompassing leadership, vision, and problem-solving skills. They argued that his companies consistently defied skeptics, with SpaceX launching more Starlink satellites than any other program and Tesla maintaining dominance in the US EV market despite growing competition.
If Musk had responded directly to the controversy, he might have dismissed the criticism, arguing that intelligence was about identifying and solving the right problems rather than achieving a high test score. He might have also questioned why others with similar resources had failed to replicate his success if it was merely a result of external advantages.