Conservative Commentator Came Out Swinging Against a Former CNN Host's Attacks on Elon Musk

Aug 05, 2026 6:00 AM
Advertisement
Conservative Commentator Came Out Swinging Against a Former CNN Host's Attacks on Elon Musk
Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Now, ever since he left CNN, Chris Cuomo has been much better. He’s not fully one of us, but there are moments when it hasn’t been dominated by liberal media bias. That was not the case here, where he debated immigration and Elon Musk with conservative Michael Knowles. Musk’s immigration status is reportedly a gray area among those in liberal circles. Is this even a discussion? No, Musk didn’t arrive like the millions who invaded our nation under Biden. 

Advertisement

It was just a choppy segment. First, this notion that Musk was rigging elections because he donated money to Republicans was whacky:

CUOMO: “But this guy just rigged the elections.”

“He worked the immigration system. That’s why he got through it because he fraudulently his way through.”

KNOWLES: “He rigged the elections?”

“Chris, how did he rig the election?!”

“I thought we’re not election deniers?!”

CUOMO: “So the Wisconsin election board, you don’t believe them?”

KNOWLES: “Yeah. Well, I haven’t seen any federal cases against Elon Musk for election rigging. I’ve seen his spending on par, below Mike Bloomberg’s, below Tom Steyer’s, both Democrat donors.”

“So Elon Musk has donated a lot to elections. That’s great.”

“But don’t forget this idea that Elon Musk has made money on politics…”

“Elon Musk got decimated in his businesses because he got involved with DOGE and the campaign.”

“The National Bureau of Economic Research says that Tesla sales were down by 83% because he got involved. That was tens of billions of dollars.”

“We know that his X contribution to preserve free speech, he lost 75% on that…”

Advertisement

And later, Knowles put this talking point so easily that NewsNation had to cut to a commercial:

CUOMO: “This guy got through an immigration system that, if he weren’t a rich White guy from South Africa, he may be getting dragged out of his car at a traffic stop and getting his ass beat with people like you applauding.”

KNOWLES: “Chris, you’re saying he’s an African American. So I think it contradicts your police stop narrative here.”

“And regardless, he got through under Bill Clinton! So I wouldn’t go…”

You knew things were going to get intense when Knowles ripped apart Cuomo’s commentary on Musk:

KNOWLES: “Chris, I loved that magnificent monologue.”

“The problem is, it was all a bunch of nonsense!”

“So to your first point that Elon Musk is an illegal alien…it’s a funny joke that they made at the conference.”

“But one, if Elon Musk were an illegal alien, Democrats would love him, and they manifestly do not.”

“Second of all, he came here legally in 1995 to be a student.”

“He dropped out eventually out of Stanford…”

CUOMO: “Not eventually.”

KNOWLES: “No, he did drop out eventually. He took classes at Stanford, then he dropped out.”

CUOMO: “No! He dropped out immediately, and the visa was contingent on attending.”

KNOWLES: “But Chris, here’s the key. Elon was able to work, as students are able to work when they are students here.”

“And now it’s true, there is this kind of gray area, but they worked it all out within 18 months. So he had a worker visa within 18 months.”

“If he had committed anything even resembling immigration fraud, he would not have become a U.S. citizen in 2002.”

Advertisement

Sometimes people have a bad day at the office — this was one of them for Mr. Cuomo. 

Editor's Note: Do you enjoy Townhall's conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.

VIP

Join the Conversation

VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos