Khanna Praises Musk as “Extraordinary Entrepreneur” Amid Ongoing Collaboration
Rep. Ro Khanna, a House Democrat representing Silicon Valley and a potential future presidential contender, has had a long-standing relationship with Elon Musk, spanning over a decade. In a recent interview, Khanna described Musk as “an extraordinary entrepreneur” and drew parallels between Musk and the "dollar-a-year men" of World War II—corporate leaders who were paid a symbolic $1 annually to assist the government’s wartime efforts.
Khanna, who has exchanged texts with Musk since the billionaire was appointed to lead DOGE by former President Donald Trump, emphasized that their discussions revolve around areas of potential collaboration. However, he refrained from delving into specifics of their private exchanges, stating, "We have a candid conversation. He also knows where I disagree with him."
Khanna reiterated the importance of involving technologists like Musk in political efforts but stressed the need to do so without compromising core values.
Musk, in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), praised Khanna as a “sensible moderate,” particularly after the lawmaker expressed disagreement with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed electric vehicle subsidy, which might exclude Musk's company, Tesla. Musk has yet to respond to further requests for comment.
