In light of reports detailing past illegal employment practices linked to Elon Musk, President Biden has expressed his disapproval, calling for greater accountability in corporate America.
President Joe Biden criticized Elon Musk for being hypocritical on immigration issues following a report claiming that the Tesla CEO had previously worked illegally in the United States. Born in South Africa, Musk has denied these allegations.
“The richest man in the world was discovered to be working here illegally. No, I’m not joking. He entered on a student visa but wasn’t attending school; he was breaking the law instead. Yet he’s criticizing illegal immigrants coming our way?” Biden remarked while campaigning at a union hall in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
According to The Washington Post, Musk was involved in illegal work activities while holding a student visa. The report, based on company documents, accounts from former business associates, and court records, stated that Musk came to Palo Alto, California in 1995 with the intention of joining a graduate program at Stanford University. However, he did not enroll in any courses and instead focused on developing his startup.
In response to a video post featuring Biden’s comments, Musk wrote on X: “I was indeed permitted to work in the US.” He further commented, “The Biden puppet is not telling the truth.”
READ ALSO: Politico: Biden Expresses Frustration with Israel’s Actions
According to the report, investors in Musk’s company, Zip2, were worried that their founder might face deportation and set a deadline for him to secure a work visa. The newspaper also referenced an email from 2005 in which Musk admitted to his Tesla co-founders that he lacked authorization to be in the U.S. when he launched Zip2.
According to the account, that email was presented as evidence in a defamation lawsuit in California, which has since been closed. The email indicated that Musk had applied to Stanford to maintain his legal residency status in the country.
Today, Musk holds the title of the world’s richest man. He has pledged over $70 million to support Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and other GOP candidates in their bid for victory on November 5th, making him one of the party’s most significant contributors this campaign season. Throughout the final stretch of the White House race, he has been at the forefront of events, frequently mirroring Trump’s harsh rhetoric on immigration issues.
Trump has promised to include Musk in his administration if he secures a victory next month.
X and Tesla did not immediately respond to messages seeking Musk’s comment.
