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WNBA player Natasha Cloud of the Phoenix Mercury created a social media firestorm Sunday with her comments about billionaire entrepreneur and X platform owner Elon Musk.
On X, Cloud, 32, posted, “So when y’all gone tell Elon to go back to Africa?” Musk, who was born in Pretoria, South Africa, has recently faced increasing criticism from Democrats, drawing comparisons to the harsh treatment once directed at President-elect Donald Trump.
So when y’all gone tell Elon to go back to Africa?
— Natasha Cloud (@T_Cloud4) December 22, 2024
Cloud followed up her initial post with a critique of Musk’s role in publicizing and opposing a massive spending bill in the House of Representatives. “I’m so glad ALL these billionaires have no idea how the 3 branches of government work… or how a bill gets passed into law. Shoutout to the 38 Republicans who shot the bill down in the House while being threatened & blackmailed,” she wrote.
Im so glad ALL these billionaires have no idea how the 3 branches of government work….or how a bill gets passed into law.
— Natasha Cloud (@T_Cloud4) December 22, 2024
Shoutout to the 38 Republicans who shot the bill down in the House while being threatened & blackmailed.
Musk’s Opposition to the Spending Bill
Musk, alongside former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, played a significant role in opposing the over 1,500-page spending bill. Ramaswamy, tapped by Trump to lead the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency, scrutinized the bill and posted his objections on X.
Musk joined the effort by launching a public pressure campaign against the bill, even suggesting political consequences for House members who supported it. While the bill ultimately passed in a reduced form, 34 Republican representatives voted against it due to debt-related concerns, a figure Cloud appeared to overstate in her post.
A Polarizing Debate
Cloud’s comments sparked significant backlash, particularly from conservatives who viewed her remarks as emblematic of establishment narratives targeting Musk. Critics highlighted the irony of her using Musk’s free speech platform to criticize him while expressing indifference toward the content of the spending bill itself.
Instead of addressing what some conservatives viewed as the bill’s excessive provisions, Cloud appeared to focus her criticism solely on Musk. Observers suggested her remarks reflected broader propaganda against Musk, much like the narratives directed at Trump in previous years.
Ongoing Controversy
Musk’s growing influence in politics, combined with his close association with Trump’s incoming administration, has made him a central figure in debates over government spending and free speech. Meanwhile, Cloud’s remarks have amplified scrutiny of the WNBA, whose players have often been at the forefront of political activism.
The debate underscores the ongoing cultural and political divisions within American society and highlights how social media platforms, including Musk’s own X, remain critical battlegrounds for these disputes.
