Elon Musk fired off a threatening tweet aimed at longtime Congresswoman Maxine Waters after video surfaced of her suggesting Melania Trump should be investigated for possible deportation. The 86-year-old California Democrat made the comments during a Los Angeles protest against Donald Trump’s immigration policies over the weekend.
At the rally, Waters turned the tables on Trump’s hardline deportation plans, telling the crowd: “When he talks about undoing birthright citizenship, maybe he ought to first look at Melania.” The remark referred to Trump’s proposals to end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented parents.
Musk responded by resharing the video on X late Tuesday with a ominous message: “At some point, the many crimes of Maxine Waters will catch up to her.” The billionaire provided no evidence to support his claim about unspecified “crimes” – public records show Waters has no criminal history.
The exchange highlights how Trump’s immigration policies have led critics to scrutinize his own family’s immigration background. Melania Trump originally came to the U.S. from Slovenia in 1996 on an EB-1 “Einstein Visa” reserved for those with extraordinary abilities. She became a naturalized citizen in 2006 after marrying Donald Trump, making her the only first lady to gain citizenship after birth.
Waters’ comments came during protests against both Trump’s immigration agenda and Musk’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) program that aims to shrink federal agencies. The veteran lawmaker has frequently clashed with Musk over tech regulation, while the billionaire has become increasingly vocal in conservative politics.
The incident underscores the bitter political divisions surrounding immigration as Trump campaigns on mass deportations while opponents highlight what they see as hypocrisy regarding his family’s immigrant background. Musk’s decision to amplify Waters’ remarks with unsubstantiated criminal allegations further inflames these tensions on his influential social media platform.
