Ted Cruz Insists Democrats 'Ought To Be Saying Thank You' to Musk as Billionaire Steps Down From Trump Team

Sen. Ted Cruz defended Elon Musk during a Fox News interview, saying Democrats "ought to be saying thank you" to the billionaire for his unpaid work in the Trump administration, following Musk's quiet departure from his government post.

Musk had served as a "special government employee" in the Trump administration for 130 days, a role that ended on May 30. His tenure, which involved efforts to root out federal inefficiencies, drew fierce criticism from the left due to concerns over conflicts of interest and his increasingly political public statements.

Talking to Fox News' Sean Hannity, Cruz accused Democrats of hypocrisy, claiming Musk was once praised for his work on clean energy but became vilified after aligning with Trump and criticizing progressive positions on immigration, gender, and free speech.

"I think the American people ought to be saying to Elon, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you!' He came and spent four months working for the American people free of charge, didn't collect a salary, made nothing. He rooted out massive waste, fraud and abuse, and he did so at enormous cost to himself," Cruz said.

Cruz also condemned the backlash against Musk as "domestic terrorism," referencing protests and vandalism at Tesla facilities during his time in government.

With Musk no longer officially affiliated with the Trump administration, Republican figures like Cruz are working to reframe his involvement as a patriotic sacrifice. Cruz emphasized Musk took no salary and claimed the billionaire lost "tens of billions" in stock value while facing a torrent of personal threats.

"As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government," Musk wrote on X ahead of his departure.

Whether Musk returns in any formal capacity is unclear, but GOP leaders seem eager to keep him in their corner.

Originally published on Latin Times