Politics

Elon Musk, Chuck Schumer trade verbal blows as DOGE boss suggests senator profits from government fraud

Business tycoon Elon Musk floated the idea that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is s🧸omeho🌜w profiting off of government fraud, though the lawmaker has pushed back.

“Chuck, I’m starting to think you’re getting a piece of the action with the government fraud. But no, that couldn’t possibly be the reason, could it?” .

Musk, who has been spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort to expose waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, made the comment in response to a Monday post in which Schumer accused DOGE of “sabotaging” Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — the post reflected sentiments Schumer had conveyed during a Senate speech.

Schumer fired back in response to Musk’s suggestion he could be benefiting from government fraud.

“Another Elon lie. He wants you to think anyone who dares to stand up to him is committing fraud, meanwhile he’s taking tens of billions from the government,” .

Early Tuesday morning, Musk fired off a resp🀅onse to a post in which Schumer suggested that Musk i﷽s slashing Social Security benefits.

“Make no mistake: What Elon Musk is doing at Social Security is cutting benefits,” Schumer said in a post on Monday, which echoed his speech. 

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk speaks during a town hall meeting at the KI Convention Center on March 30, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Musk posted on X Tuesday morning, stating, “Chuck, I’m starting to think you’re getting a piece of the action with the government fraud. But no, that couldn’t possibly be the reason, could it?” Getty Images

“The intern running Schumer’s social media account is lying,” Musk shot back Tuesday on X.

During the speech, Schumer claimed that “Elon Musk is cutting Social Security benefits.”

“When offices close down, when websites crash, when phone lines shut off, that’s no different than cutting benefits,” Schumer said.