Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur has questioned Elon Musk‘s loyalty to the United States due to the billionaire DOGE head holding citizenship for two other countries.
Newsweek reached out to Musk via Tesla and Kaptur’s office via phone for comment.
Why It Matters
Billionaire Musk, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, leads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to reduce federal spending. In its first month of operation, it has restructured multiple federal agencies and recommended mass layoffs, sparking backlash and concern from critics and some Republicans.
Musk has called for sweeping cuts to federal government spending, claiming it should be reduced by up to $2 trillion annually. Supporters say this will boost efficiency and help tackle the national debt, while critics argue it will reduce access to government services.
Musk’s citizenship status has become a point of political debate in recent weeks. Questions about Musk’s nationality resurfaced following recent political discourse around his role as a “special government employee” in the Trump administration.
What To Know
Speaking at a Protect Veterans Jobs press conference on Wednesday after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fired 1,400 employees, Ohio Representative Kaptur questioned Musk’s loyalty to the U.S., considering he also holds South African and Canadian citizenship.
“The people doing the firing have never served a day in the U.S. military. Mr. Musk has just been here just 22 years and he’s a citizen of three countries. I always ask myself the question: with the damage he’s doing here when push comes to shove, which country is he loyal to? South Africa, Canada, or the United States? And he’s only been a citizen, I’ll say again, 22 years,” Kaptur said.
Musk, born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, emigrated to Canada in 1989, achieving citizenship via his Canadian-born mother, Maye Musk. He spent three years there before moving to the U.S. on a student visa. He became a U.S. citizen through naturalization in 2002.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
The VA fired 1,400 people after a first round of layoffs that terminated 1,000 employees on February 13, sparking anger from lawmakers. The latest firings were from “non-mission critical positions,” including potentially “DEI-related positions,” according to VA officials.
The recent dismissals affected bargaining unit employees with less than two years in their positions. Officials stated that no mission-critical jobs were impacted but did not specify the types of assignments that were eliminated. VA employees reported that some support staff for the Veterans Crisis Line were among those laid off.
Officials estimate the job cuts will save approximately $83 million annually, which will be redirected to other benefits and health care priorities.
The action swiftly drew condemnation from Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Kaptur, who said they were “deeply disturbed” by the move.
On February 13, VA officials announced plans to lay off approximately 1,000 probationary employees from non-bargaining units, citing an expected savings of $98 million. This followed the department’s January decision to dismiss around 60 employees involved in diversity and inclusion efforts—an area Trump has criticized as detrimental to the workforce.
Nearly 2,500 employees have been removed from Veterans Affairs so far, representing roughly 0.5 percent of the department’s nearly 480,000-person workforce.
The VA employs approximately 40,000 probationary workers nationwide, but officials stated that most are exempt from personnel actions due to their roles in mission-critical positions.
What People Are Saying
Representative Marcy Kaptur wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: “Nearly 6,000 vets have lost their jobs under Trump and Musk’s broad brush purge of public servants—up to 500,000 more could be next. These aren’t just numbers—these are vets who served our country and now risk losing their livelihoods. Congress and the courts must defend those who defended us.”
VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement: “These and other recent personnel decisions are extraordinarily difficult, but VA is focused on allocating its resources to help as many Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors as possible.”
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate VA Committee, in a statement: “Doug Collins continues to put the interests of veterans last with additional indiscriminate firings of VA employees who serve veterans, including patient-facing employees.”
The Truth Now X account, @sxdoc, posted on February 12: “Musk became a U.S. citizen in 2002, about a decade after he first came to the country. Public records show he is registered to vote in Texas. He may be FROM South Africa but he is an AMERICAN like so many immigrants.”
Dean Obeidallah, a lawyer, comedian and podcast host, January 12 on X: “Elon musk is a US citizen BUT he is not an American.”
What Happens Next
While the specific outlook for the VA is unclear, it is expected that more employees in the federal workforce will be laid off as the Trump administration looks to slash costs.