Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is not backing down from a fight with the world's richest man. In fact, he's doubling down.

On Tuesday, Khanna posted on X: "Elon Musk Wants Me in Prison. I Want Him Under Oath." He added, "The richest man in the world announced that he plans to sue me and called for my arrest. I will not be intimidated."

The clash stems from Khanna's criticism of Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), specifically cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Khanna linked those cuts to potential harm, which Musk rejected as false. Musk then threatened legal action and called Khanna a "liar."

In a Substack post, Khanna laid out the timeline: "He could have shown up and made his case… Instead, he called me ‘an evil liar.’ When that did not work, he reached for something uglier. He announced he would sue me. He called for my arrest."

Khanna framed Musk's response as "lawfare"—using legal threats to intimidate critics rather than engage in public accountability. He argued that congressional oversight requires questioning powerful figures who influence government policy.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Khanna Challenges Musk to a Debate

On Monday, Khanna escalated things further by challenging Musk to a televised debate over DOGE's actions. He said Musk could choose the venue for a discussion on foreign aid cuts, accountability, and a proposed wealth tax.

Musk has so far not accepted the debate invitation. Instead, he has defended DOGE's efforts as a measure to stop fraudulent aid spending.

Friedberg Urges Khanna to Donate 5% of Wealth

Meanwhile, billionaire David Friedberg piled on, criticizing Khanna in a heated online exchange over wealth redistribution and AI policy. Friedberg suggested Khanna should donate 5% of his family's estimated $200 million net worth to support public services like childcare and healthcare, arguing it would have an immediate community impact.

Khanna has not responded to Friedberg's challenge.

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.