As the U.S. presidential election draws near, online tensions are rising, with celebrities stepping into the fray.
Over the weekend, **Elon Musk**, a well-known advocate for Donald Trump, utilized his platform **X** (previously Twitter) to criticize **Cardi B** after her attendance at a **Kamala Harris** rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday.
In her [address](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP5KHyfOI1E&t=566s), Cardi B conveyed that she hadn’t intended to vote until Harris entered the race. She connected her own experiences to those of Harris, declaring, “Just like Kamala Harris, I, too, have been the underdog. I’ve been underestimated. My success belittled and discredited.” Cardi B highlighted the obstacles women contend with, asserting they must work “ten times harder” and still endure judgment. She remarked, “I can’t tolerate a bully, but like Kamala, I always confront one.”
The rapper also criticized **Trump’s position on abortion and reproductive rights** and his [history of misogyny](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/31/us/politics/trump-women-like-it-or-not.html), specifically referencing his contentious remark about protecting women “whether [they] like it or not.” Cardi B countered, “Protection for women, especially when discussing maternal and mental health care, isn’t about dictating what they do with their bodies. It’s about supporting them and providing the necessary care for their choices regarding their bodies.”
She elaborated, “If his definition of protection does not include the right to choose, if his idea of protection is ensuring our daughters possess fewer rights than our mothers, then I want no part of it.”
At the beginning of her speech, Cardi B encountered a teleprompter failure and had to read from her phone, which Musk pointed out on X. “Another puppet who can’t even speak without being prompted,” Musk commented. “The Kamala campaign lacks authenticity and genuine empathy.”
Since [endorsing Trump on X in July](https://mashable.com/article/x-conspiracy-theories-elon-musk-trump-shooting), Musk has been outspoken in his backing of the Republican candidate, whether by [promoting his platform](https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-x-twitter-pro-trump-custom-hashtag-icon), [attending rallies](https://mashable.com/article/musk-weird-weekend), or offering [million-dollar incentives in swing states](https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-sued-million-dollar-payouts).
Cardi B swiftly replied to Musk’s post, stating, “I’m not a puppet, Elon. I’m the daughter of two immigrant parents who had to work their tails off to support me! I’m a product of welfare, I’m a product of section 8, I’m a product of poverty and I’m a product of what occurs when the system is rigged against you… But you know nothing about that. You don’t understand a thing about the American struggle.”
She concluded her message with a playful note: “PS fix my algorithm.”