After former Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), who used to be part of the far-left Democratic “Squad” in the House, labeled President Donald Trump’s top adviser as a “Nazi” and a “thief” during a recent CNN discussion, billionaire Elon Musk has threatened to take legal action.
Musk reacted to a clip of Bowman’s comments from a round table on Friday by posting on X, “Lawsuit inbound,” indicating he was serious about pursuing this matter.
Bowman, who lost to a centrist pro-Israel candidate in the Democratic primary last July, expressed to a group of commentators that “Elon Musk is not capable in his role, and the American people don’t trust him.”
He explained, “We know this because it went to court after they fired tens of thousands of employees. Those workers are coming back because the court ordered it.” He continued to criticize Musk, saying, “He is incompetent. He’s a thief. He’s a Nazi,” and added that the public does not have faith in him.
Left-leaning media previously accused Musk of making a “Nazi salute” to a crowd on the day of President Trump’s inauguration. Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, suggested that he should sue CNN and other media outlets for spreading what she called a false and harmful story.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), another former member of the “Squad,” echoed similar unfounded accusations last month, referring to Musk as a “Nazi nepo baby.”
Jamaal Bowman just called Elon Musk an “incompetent thief” and “Nazi” on CNN.
A lawsuit waiting to happen. pic.twitter.com/4ucENS8KT4
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) March 21, 2025
In the July Democratic primary for New York’s 16th Congressional District, Bowman, who used to be part of the progressive “Squad” of left-leaning House Democrats of color, lost to George Latimer. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group, reportedly spent millions trying to sway voters against Bowman, who had accused Israel of committing “genocide” during its conflict with Hamas.
In 2023, Bowman was officially reprimanded by the House of Representatives for triggering a fire alarm in the Capitol while negotiations were happening for a government shutdown, which many saw as a way to delay the process.
Conservative journalist Andy Ngo, known for being attacked by Antifa protesters in Portland, Oregon, in 2019, supported Elon Musk’s potential lawsuit, as reported by Fox News.
Accusing someone of a crime is not protected speech. Ngo pointed out that by allowing guests to make potentially harmful statements without challenge, CNN puts itself at risk for legal issues.
“Claw him!” wrote Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on his personal X account, emphasizing that defamation against conservatives needs to be addressed or it will continue indefinitely.
“Retaliate!” added Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
With the GOP majority in the U.S. House at stake, Musk and voter registration advocate Scott Presler are working hard to motivate Republicans to vote in a key Supreme Court election in Wisconsin, an important battleground state.
Brad Schimel, a conservative candidate for the Supreme Court, is receiving $1 million from America PAC, a political action committee created by Elon Musk to support Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Another organization backed by Musk, Building America’s Future, has spent $1.5 million on ads promoting the conservative candidate.
Susan Crawford, a judge with liberal views, is competing against him; the outcome of this election will influence the power dynamics in the highest court of this important swing state.
This is important because if Crawford wins, the court will maintain its current liberal majority of 4-3. This could lead to justices agreeing to redraw the state’s congressional districts in a way that might take away at least two seats from Republicans in the U.S. House, potentially giving Democrats an advantage in 2026.