Elon Musk Faces Backlash for Homophobic Slur Amid Feud with Trump Cabinet Member: Here's What He Said

Elon Musk's feud with US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy deepened on Tuesday after the billionaire posted a homophobic remark on social media while criticising the Trump administration official's leadership of NASA. The posts, made on Musk's platform X, have drawn widespread backlash from both political figures and online users.

Musk Accuses Duffy of Failing NASA

The dispute began after Duffy, who also serves as the Acting Administrator of NASA, told CNBC that SpaceX had fallen behind schedule on its plans to return astronauts to the moon. He said the administration would now open the government contract to new bidders, including Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin.

'We're not going to wait for one company,' Duffy said. 'We're going to push this forward and win the second space race against the Chinese.'

Within hours, Musk responded on X with a GIF of a viral interview clip in which a television host asks, 'Why are you gay?' The post, which many viewed as homophobic, quickly went viral. Critics accused Musk of using his platform to demean a government official rather than address the policy dispute.

Backlash Over Musk's Insults

Musk continued his online attack by calling Duffy 'Sean Dummy' and accusing him of 'trying to kill NASA'. The insults followed a Wall Street Journal report claiming Duffy had considered folding NASA into the Department of Transportation. Musk argued that such a move would 'end America's leadership in space,' adding in a separate post that 'the person responsible for America's space programme can't have a two-digit IQ'.

NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens told The Independent that Duffy had only discussed improving collaboration between NASA and the Department of Transportation. 'The president asked him to talk with potential candidates for administrator, and he's been happy to help by giving honest feedback,' she said in an emailed statement.

Feud Linked to NASA Leadership Tensions

The argument is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute between Musk and Trump officials. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination of entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, a close ally of Musk, to head NASA. Isaacman later said his name was pulled because 'some people had axes to grind'. Musk supported him publicly and reposted several messages calling for his reinstatement.

Duffy has avoided responding directly to Musk's insults. Instead, he wrote that he appreciated Musk's passion for the Artemis programme, saying, 'Great companies shouldn't be afraid of a challenge. When our innovators compete, America wins.'

The Race to the Moon Intensifies

SpaceX previously secured a £2.3 billion ($2.9 billion) contract to develop the lunar lander for NASA's Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the moon for the first time in more than fifty years. Duffy told CNBC that the mission could launch by 2028, although timelines remain flexible as testing continues.

He has repeatedly warned about China's growing progress in space exploration. The country plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030 and is advancing rapidly toward that goal. Stevens said Duffy's priority is ensuring 'America gets back to the moon before China', reinforcing his commitment to maintaining US leadership in space.