Cardi B has fired back at recent criticism from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who accused her of being a “puppet” for Vice President Kamala Harris after her speech supporting Harris at a rally.
The rapper, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus, spoke at a Harris campaign event in Milwaukee on Friday, energizing the crowd with her pointed criticisms of former President Donald Trump, whom she called a “hustler.” Her remarks received enthusiastic cheers at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center but quickly attracted Musk’s disapproval.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk remarked, “Another puppet who can’t even talk without being fed the words.” He cited a two-minute delay during Cardi B’s appearance, attributed to a teleprompter glitch that required her to use a phone provided by a staff member to read her remarks. Musk added, “The Kamala campaign has no authenticity or true empathy.”
Just hours later, Cardi B responded to Musk’s comments on X, rejecting his “puppet” label. “I’m not a puppet, Elon,” she wrote. “I’m a daughter of two immigrant parents who had to work their ass off to provide for me!” She reminded Musk of her upbringing, referencing her parents’ Dominican and Trinidadian roots and explaining that she grew up relying on welfare, facing poverty, and living in Section 8 housing. “I’m a product of what happens when the system is set up against you,” she continued. “But you don’t know anything about that. You don’t know one thing about the American struggle.”
She concluded her response with a pointed comment on Musk’s ownership of X, adding, “PS fix my algorithm.”
This isn’t the first time Musk has labeled public figures as “puppets.” Since publicly endorsing Trump on July 13, following an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Musk has repeatedly voiced support for the former president. He recently faced backlash for a since-deleted post on September 15, which read, “No one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” a reference to a second attempt on Trump’s life. In an October interview with Tucker Carlson, Musk said the comment was meant as a joke, adding, “What do you achieve? Nothing. They’d just put in another puppet.”
Musk’s financial contributions have also fueled speculation about his political motivations. He has invested over $118 million in Trump’s campaign through the America PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records. When reached for confirmation, Newsweek reported no response from the PAC.
Musk has also drawn attention for a controversial $1-million giveaway to registered swing state voters who sign a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. However, the contest has sparked legal challenges, with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filing a lawsuit describing it as an “illegal lottery scheme.” A federal judge recently returned the case to state court in Pennsylvania, despite Musk’s push for a federal hearing.
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