Ro Khanna challenges Elon Musk to TV debate after lawsuit threat
What's new: The clash centers on Khanna's claim that DOGE's USAID cuts could contribute to 4.5 million child deaths.
Rep. Ro Khanna challenged Elon Musk to a televised debate after Musk threatened to sue him and suggested he should be jailed over Khanna's criticism of DOGE cuts to foreign aid. Khanna, a California Democrat, said Monday that Musk could choose the network or a university setting for a debate on DOGE and Khanna's proposed wealth tax. The feud escalated on X after Khanna argued on a podcast that Musk should answer for dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, citing a Lancet study that said the cuts could contribute to more than 4.5 million child deaths. Musk rejected that claim, calling Khanna a liar and defending DOGE's demand for recipient contact information to verify aid.