Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was swiftly criticized after calling billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk "one of the most unintelligent billionaires" she has ever encountered, the New York Post reported.
Her remarks, made during an Instagram Live session, sparked mockery from conservatives and Musk supporters, who pointed to his extensive accomplishments in business and engineering.
Ocasio-Cortez spent roughly 90 minutes airing her grievances about Musk and the federal oversight changes to her 8.5 million Instagram followers.
"This dude is probably one of the most unintelligent billionaires I have ever met or seen or witnessed," Ocasio-Cortez, 35, said during the video.
Her comments quickly ignited ridicule. Critics questioned her qualifications to assess Musk's intellect, pointing to Musk's track record of innovation, including founding and expanding companies such as Tesla and SpaceX.
Before entering politics, Ocasio-Cortez worked as a bartender and waitress in New York, a background some critics argue does not provide her with the expertise to judge Musk, who has built multiple multibillion-dollar companies.
Musk, 53, originally from South Africa, moved to the United States in the 1990s and built a series of successful companies, including Zip2 and PayPal.
He later founded SpaceX and took over Tesla, transforming it into a leader in electric vehicles. His aerospace company is currently developing Starship, a reusable heavy-lift rocket designed to advance space exploration.
Biographer Walter Isaacson, who has studied Musk's work closely, has described him as a "genius when it comes to material properties, when it comes to engineering." However, Isaacson also noted that Musk is "not a genius" when it comes to "human emotions."
Ocasio-Cortez's disparaging remarks stemmed from her opposition to Musk's involvement in government reform efforts, particularly his influence over the Department of Government Efficiency.
The agency recently gained access to the federal payment system to audit government spending, a move that has frustrated Democrats.
"They don't do their homework, clearly," Ocasio-Cortez said of Republicans. "Like, they're putting 19-year-olds in at the Treasury."
Democrats have expressed outrage over Musk's role in shaping government agencies and the Trump administration's efforts to overhaul departments such as the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The congresswoman, who previously owned a Tesla before publicly distancing herself from the brand, accused Trump of yielding power to Musk.
"What [President] Donald Trump has done is that he has completely given up his power and handed a lot of it over to Elon Musk," she said. "Elon Musk has appointed some teenagers and some people in their early 20s into essentially trying to raid government systems."
Critics were quick to mock her take on Musk's intelligence on social media.
"AOC calling Elon Musk 'unintelligent' might actually be the dumbest thing she has ever said, which is really saying something," conservative commentator Charlie Kirk said.
GOP operative Kevin Smith added, "He's literally going to Mars… She has a [hard] time getting to Queens."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.