Elon Musk shared a meme on X that referred to those who benefit from U.S. federal programs as the “Parasite Class.”
In February 2025, a screenshot of Musk’s reposted meme, featuring actor Sydney Sweeney with the caption, “Watching Trump slash federal programs knowing it doesn’t affect you because you’re not a member of the Parasite Class,” gained widespread attention. Musk added a comment above the meme, saying, “Why 90% of America loves @DOGE,” referring to the newly established U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, which he apparently leads.
The post generated significant discussion across social media platforms like Instagram, X, Facebook, and Bluesky, with several media outlets covering the story. The podcast On With Kara Swisher also addressed it, criticizing Musk and highlighting the billions Tesla has received in government support since 2015.
Musk’s repost of the meme with his caption and a laughing emoji occurred on February 12, 2025, confirming the claim to be true. The meme, originally created by @Liberty_Memes, was reposted by Musk without the original watermark, instead featuring the DOGE logo.
