A fiery exchange erupted between Vice President JD Vance and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna after Vance defended the possible reinstatement of a former government employee who resigned over racist social media posts.
The Controversial Staffer
The staffer at the center of the controversy is Marko Elez, a former SpaceX employee who later joined the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency influenced by billionaire Elon Musk.
However, Elez stepped down after the Wall Street Journal connected him to an anonymous social media account that had promoted eugenics and racist ideologies.
Among the posts, Elez reportedly wrote statements such as “Normalize Indian hate” and “I was racist before it was cool,” sparking widespread outrage.
Musk and Vance Weigh In
On Friday morning, Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter), asking his 216 million followers if Elez should be rehired, referring to his comments as “inappropriate statements.”
This prompted Vance to enter the debate, sharing his own perspective on the situation.
While acknowledging that Elez’s posts were misguided, Vance argued that social media blunders shouldn’t permanently ruin someone’s career.
He further suggested that allowing journalists to “destroy people” for their past actions would set a dangerous precedent.
Ro Khanna Challenges Vance
Congressman Ro Khanna, whose parents immigrated from India, was quick to respond.
Directly addressing Vance, he asked whether the vice president would require Elez to apologize for his “Normalize Indian hate” comment before considering reinstatement.
“Just asking for the sake of both of our kids,” Khanna added, referencing their shared Indian heritage through their families.
Vance, however, was not having it. Less than two hours later, he fired back with a sharp retort: “For the sake of both of our kids? Grow up.”
He went on to argue that while offensive online trolls don’t pose a real threat to his children, a culture that refuses to show grace to those who make mistakes does.
He also accused Khanna of behaving like a “whiny child” in his handling of the issue.
The Heated Exchange Continues
Khanna didn’t back down. In his follow-up post, he insisted that grace wasn’t being denied to anyone.
He pointed out that he had publicly praised and defended Vance’s wife, Usha, against past attacks, but maintained that someone representing the U.S. government should be held accountable for their words.
“If you are going to rehire someone to represent you & the USA, why not insist he apologize for saying ‘Normalize Indian hate’?” Khanna pressed.
Trump’s Take on the Debate
The dispute didn’t just stay online—it even made its way to President Donald Trump.
When asked about the controversy during a press conference with the Japanese prime minister, Trump admitted he wasn’t familiar with the details but expressed support for Vance’s stance.
If Vance believed Elez should be reinstated, Trump said, he would back his vice president’s decision.
Public Reaction: Is 25 Still a “Kid”?
Meanwhile, reactions on X were deeply divided.
Many of Musk’s supporters rallied behind the idea of rehiring Elez, echoing the sentiment that past mistakes shouldn’t define a person’s future.
However, critics took issue with Vance referring to Elez as a “kid,” pointing out that at 25, he was a full-grown adult.
In fact, the phrase “He’s 25” started trending, with many arguing that if Elez was trusted with access to sensitive government information, he should also be held accountable for his words.
What Happens Next?
With Elez’s fate still uncertain, the debate over personal accountability versus second chances rages on.
Will Musk push for his return?
Will the government take a stand?
And will this online spat between Vance and Khanna lead to a broader conversation about political responsibility and forgiveness?
Only time will tell how this controversy plays out.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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