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Ro Khanna challenges Elon Musk to debate after lawsuit threat
Musk shared a news link about Khanna's comments about his DOGE policies and said that it was time to sue Khanna.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Tue, 23, Jun 2026
- 04:38 EDT
- 43
Ro Khanna and Elon Musk / Wikimedia commons
Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna and trillionaire Elon Musk engaged in a war of words, which could soon reach the courtroom or debate hall, after Khanna accused Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) policies of leading to the deaths of millions of children, resulting in Musk threatening to sue Khanna and Khanna suggesting a public debate.
It all started after Khanna demanded Musk's accountability after a study published in The Lancet claimed that DOGE's cuts to USAID under Musk could potentially cause the deaths of more than 4.5 million children. Musk, before parting ways with President Donald Trump, had effectively shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of his federal expense downsizing initiatives.
Talking on the "I've Had It" podcast, Khanna demanded accountability and subsequently attracted Musk's ire.
Musk shared a news link about Khanna's comments and quipped, "Time to sue this liar."
Musk went on the offensive with a series of posts aimed at Khanna. He clarified that DOGE merely asked for contact information for the recipients of aid.
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He continued, "The reality is that money was being sent to corrupt politicians under the guise of aid! Liars and stock insider traders like Ro the Robber should be in prison!!"
Khanna responded to the threats and accusations, saying, "Today, Elon Musk threatened to sue me and he called on the Justice Department to put me in prison. That's right. The world's richest person has spent all day tweeting going after me."
He continued, "Because I cited an academic study that his DOGE cuts may lead to the deaths of millions of children overseas. You know, Elon, I thought you were a free speech guy. Why not debate me on these issues instead of threatening lawfare? You're not going to be able to intimidate me."
Highlighting that he won't be intimidated, Khanna spotlighted his past work against the "Epstein class," AIPAC, Israel's "genocide," and billionaires.
This public spat potentially puts to bed speculation about Khanna's proximity to Elon Musk. In 2025, Khanna publicly suggested that Democrats should try to bring Elon Musk back toward the Democratic Party after Musk's falling out with President Donald Trump.
Khanna even said he had spoken with one of Musk's senior confidants and argued that Musk's opposition to tariffs, anti-immigrant policies and cuts to science funding aligned more closely with Democratic positions. This position was not widely shared within the Democratic Party and had attracted widespread condemnation from party members.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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