Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has openly condemned Elon Musk for his recent social media comments about pop star Taylor Swift. Musk’s remarks came after Swift publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Swift’s endorsement praised Harris on her Instagram account for her strength and resilience, calling her a “warrior” and urging her millions of followers to carefully research the candidates before casting their votes.
“I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift wrote in her post.
In response to Swift’s support of Harris, Musk posted a controversial remark on his platform X: “Fine Taylor… you win… I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.” Many quickly criticized the comment, including Clinton, who labeled it “rotten and creepy” during her appearance on the podcast “On with Kara Swisher.”
Clinton was direct in her criticism, interpreting Musk’s post as a veiled threat, suggesting it was essentially another way of implying rape. She said she was confused as to why Musk would make such remarks. Clinton also linked Musk’s comments to a broader culture of misogyny present among certain Trump supporters and leaders in the tech industry, comparing Musk to other prominent figures within these groups.
She pointed out that when she observes Trump or others aligned with the MAGA movement, especially influential figures in the tech world, misogyny seems to be a fundamental part of their perspective, with a tendency to embrace toughness, brutality, and hyper-masculinity.
She noted that Musk and others like him often struggle to accept the success and influence of powerful women like Swift, primarily due to Swift’s independent journey to wealth and fame. Clinton highlighted that Swift, a self-made billionaire, brings happiness to many and teaches valuable lessons, particularly to girls and women, which those in Musk’s circle seem unable to tolerate.
Swift’s endorsement of Harris followed soon after the first 2024 presidential debate between Harris and Trump. Clinton indicated that the timing of the endorsement likely played a role in its strong reactions. She said that if Swift had made the endorsement before the debate, it would have overshadowed it, and the fact that it came right afterward only boosted Harris’ momentum, likely aggravating her opponents even more.
Trump responded to Swift’s endorsement by expressing his frustration on his Truth Social platform. He simply declared, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” This reaction came just days after Trump had previously circulated AI-generated images falsely showing Swift endorsing him, further heightening the drama between the two sides.
As the 2024 presidential election race intensifies, the role of celebrity endorsements like Swift’s continues to be a hot topic of discussion. Swift’s influence over her young fanbase has been widely recognized, with many political analysts noting the potential impact her endorsement could have on voter turnout, particularly among younger demographics.
