PoliticsElizabeth Warren called outElon Musk overtaxes when he was named Time's Person of the Year.- She said the laws should ensure Musk "actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else."
Elon Musk called Sen. Elizabeth Warren "Senator Karen" after she accused him of "freeloading" over taxes while commenting on him being named as the Time Person of the Year.
In response to Time's decision, Warren tweeted Tuesday: "Let's change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else."
Musk responded: "You remind me of when I was a kid and my friend's angry Mom would just randomly yell at everyone for no reason."
And then added in another tweet: "Please don't call the manager on me, Senator Karen."
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
The name "Karen" has come to refer to white women who are seen as acting inappropriately, rudely, or in an entitled manner, as Insider's Rachel E. Greenspan previously reported. Some people view the term as sexist and ageist as it typically refers to older women.
Warren, who ran for president in 2020, is a staunch proponent of taxing the ultra-wealthy highly.
Musk is worth $297 billion, and Warren has repeatedly said that she does not believe he pays his fair share of taxes.
Musk has opposed lawmakers' efforts to tax the richest members of society. He has fought against Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden's proposed "billionaire's tax," which seeks to tax the massive stock gains that the richest of the rich often make.
As Insider's Ayelet Sheffey previously reported, government subsidies helped Musk grow his business and his fortune.
A ProPublica investigation in June found Musk was one of several billionaires who did not pay federal taxes as of 2018 because they only had assets, and no income.
Musk also said in response to Warren on Wednesday that he will "pay more taxes than any American in history this year."
—Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
This may actually be the case, Insider's Huileng Tan reported, as he has exercised a large number of stock options this year. According to Bloomberg, Musk may end up paying as much as $10 billion in taxes in 2021.
Warren also shared a doctored version of the Time cover, with the words "Tax Me" over Musk's face.
She added "When someone makes it big in America — millionaire big, billionaire big, Person of the Year big — part of it has to include paying it forward so the next kid can get a chance, too."
—Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 13, 2021