Tesla® Burn! Gov. Walz Rips Elon in Petty Feud
Tim Walz official photo, 2013. Photo courtesy of the United States Congress. Public domain.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz didn't just come for Elon Musk — he came with receipts. At a Wisconsin town hall, Walz casually admitted he cheers himself up by watching Tesla's stock nosedive. It was petty, sure. But it also lit the fuse on a public feud with the world's richest man. Now, what started as a crowd-pleasing jab has turned into a full-blown beef — one that's part personal, part political, and very, very public.
The Stock Joke That Sparked a Viral Back-and-Forth
Speaking to voters on March 18, Walz shared what he called a self-care routine: checking the Tesla® stock price on his iPhone's Stocks app. "$225 and dropping!" Walz said, a reference to the price that Tesla closed with on Tuesday, as reported by the Daily Beast.
While Walz cracked the joke, Tesla's stock had actually ticked up the following day, closing at $233 on Wednesday, according to the Huffington Post. Still, the line landed. The crowd laughed and clapped. And Walz wasn't done.
"And if you own [a Tesla], we're not blaming you. You can use dental floss and pull the Tesla thing off," Walz said, referring to the car's brand decal, according to The Huffington Post.
That evening, Elon Musk responded with a not-so-subtle dig of his own. Reposting Walz's clip on X, Musk wrote, "Sometimes when I need a little boost, I look at the @JDVance portrait in the @WhiteHouse and thank the Lord," as reported by Forbes. A nod to the 2024 election victory of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Musk couldn't help but razz Walz about being on the losing ticket alongside Kamala Harris.
The 'Nepo Baby' Insult and Where Things Turned
The petty exchanges didn't stop there. At the same town hall, Walz criticized Musk, saying, "There's nothing conservative about an unelected South African nepo baby firing people at the V.A.," according to The Independent.
Musk, for his part, hasn't gone much further than the JD Vance tweet. But Walz isn't the only one criticizing the billionaire.
Other Criticisms of Musk
The Tim Walz feud isn't the only time Elon Musk has faced pointed criticism from political heavyweights. Both sides of the aisle have taken shots — and some of them have gotten personal.
President Joe Biden once accused Musk of working illegally in the U.S., saying the tech billionaire violated his student visa by failing to enroll in school, as reported by The Huffington Post. "That wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker here," Biden said. "No, I'm serious. He was supposed to be in school when he came on a student visa. He wasn't in school. He was violating the law. And he's talking about all these illegals coming our way?"
Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to President Donald Trump, echoed the attack, calling Musk a "parasitic illegal immigrant" during an interview with UnHerd, as reported by The Huffington Post.
Supporters of Musk pushed back on those claims, citing biographer Walter Isaacson, who confirmed that Musk has been a U.S. citizen since 2002 and legally worked in the country during his time as a student, according to The Independent.
As Musk becomes increasingly involved in American politics, criticism of his past and his power shows no sign of slowing down.
From Electric Cars to Culture Wars
Tesla stock's sharp decline has been a hot topic for analysts in 2025. The company's value has dropped more than 44% year to date, placing it near the bottom of the S&P 500 index, as reported by Forbes.
Part of that has to do with falling sales. In February, Tesla's sales in Germany plummeted by 76% year after year. Some analysts link that drop to Musk's political outspokenness, particularly in regions less receptive to right-wing populism.
JP Morgan analyst Ryan Brinkman recently told clients that Tesla's brand image has become more polarizing since Musk took on a direct role in government downsizing efforts, according to Forbes.
Meanwhile, protests have erupted at Tesla showrooms across the country. In one incident in Las Vegas, several Teslas were torched. Musk responded online, calling the event "domestic terrorism" and writing that Tesla had "done nothing to deserve these evil attacks," as reported by Forbes.
A Public Clash Years in the Making
Interestingly, the two men weren't always at odds. In previous years, Walz supported electric vehicle infrastructure and embraced clean energy policies that aligned with Tesla's mission. But as Musk became more active politically — and began financially backing Republican candidates and causes — the tone shifted.
Walz criticized Musk during a town hall event for early voting for the Wisconsin Supreme Court race between a liberal and a rightwing Trump ally who has received $13 million from Musk. Walz made several of his sharpest remarks, including calling Musk a "dip----" before reminding the crowd that name-calling doesn't usually help win arguments, as reported by The Independent.
While Musk is known for trading online barbs, this fight feels different. Walz has made it personal — and political — attacking not just Musk's policies, but his legitimacy and motives. And for Musk, who's spent years cultivating both tech industry dominance and political influence, the criticism stings.
What This Feud Really Says About 2025
In the end, it's about more than Tesla shares or social media spats. It's about the rising tension between elected officials and unelected billionaires. Between Midwestern populists and Silicon Valley moguls. Between people who cut government jobs and those who depend on them.
The Walz–Musk feud is personal, yes, but it's also political theater. And like all good theater, it tells a bigger story — one about who we trust to lead, who we resent for their power, and who we root for when the richest man in the world gets dragged by a former high school teacher.
References: Tim Walz Reveals Hilariously Petty Way He Uses Elon Musk To 'Boost' His Mood | Tim Walz Calls Elon Musk a 'South African Nepo Baby' | Elon Musk And Tim Walz Exchange Barbs | Steve Bannon Calls Elon Musk A 'Parasitic Illegal Immigrant'
