Corrupt Liz Cheney’s Latest Attack Backfires Spectacularly
Former Republican congresswoman-turned-critic of President Trump, Liz Cheney, became the center of a social media firestorm following a jab she made at tech billionaire and DOGE figurehead, Elon Musk. Cheney, already under fire from many conservatives for her ties to establishment figures, appeared to question Musk’s grasp of America's global role in defending democracy.
Her comments, however, ignited a fierce backlash that underscored long-standing grievances with her political history and associations. Mike Benz, a political analyst and former State Department official, pointed to Cheney’s involvement with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization previously scrutinized for questionable spending — a reference that ignited fresh debate.
The spark? USAID had reportedly funneled $20 million into an Iraqi program named “Ahlan Simsim”, inspired by Sesame Street. The revelation provoked outrage among critics, who argued that American taxpayers were footing the bill for foreign entertainment projects.
Musk’s response to Benz’s post was a single word: “Interesting.”
Rather than staying silent, Cheney fired back directly at Musk. “Damn right, @Elon. I’m proud of what America did to win the Cold War, defeat Soviet communism, and defend democracy.”
She added, “Our nation stood for freedom. You may be unfamiliar with that part of our history since you weren’t yet an American citizen.”
This reply triggered a wave of criticism, with many interpreting it as a desperate attempt to assert political relevance — while also taking a swipe at Musk’s South African background.
Columnist Mollie Hemingway issued a pointed rebuttal, writing: “He is an American by choice instead of by birth, which is a weird thing to insult someone over, but more importantly, he didn’t commit so many crimes against the country that he had to be pardoned by Joe Biden, so he’s got that going for him.”
Cheney’s political motives came under renewed scrutiny, especially as mentions of her controversial pardon from the Biden administration resurfaced. Detractors also highlighted her involvement in foreign policy decisions and military actions — the very types of interventions Musk and others have criticized — citing her deep ties to the Pentagon and diplomatic elites.
Some critics went as far as accusing Cheney of hypocrisy, arguing that her appeals to “American values” rang hollow given her history supporting costly foreign entanglements and expanded surveillance powers. The backlash wasn’t limited to Musk loyalists.
Libertarians and anti-interventionists also piled on, mocking her perceived elitism and questioning whether USAID-backed projects like the Sesame Street-inspired show in Iraq merited her proud defense. Fueling the discontent was a previous report from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal watchdog group that flagged wasteful government spending, including some tied to USAID.
Even those not typically aligned with Musk thought Cheney misstepped. Instead of responding to Musk’s implicit critique, she chose to highlight his immigration status — a move many called elitist and tone-deaf. Her post, some said, was emblematic of the “establishment politics” that Trump-era Republicans have consistently rejected.