Elon Musk responds after Tennessee preacher calls for violence against DOGE

Tennessee preacher Dr. Steve Caudle calls for violence against Elon Musk over DOGE’s efforts to cut government waste.

Tennessee preacher Dr. Steve Caudle recently sparked controversy by suggesting that violence may be necessary in response to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative aimed at reducing government waste.

The Reverend, who leads the Greater Second Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, made these remarks during a sermon on Sunday, accusing Musk’s efforts of attempting to “take over the nation.”

Caudle stated, "sometimes violence is necessary," citing Musk’s involvement with the U.S. Treasury and falsely claiming that Musk "threatens to steal" personal information from Americans. Expressing concern over a potential conflict, the preacher warned his congregation that the country might be on the verge of bloodshed.

Caudle further justified his position by quoting Matthew 11:12, implying that violence could be a necessary response to Musk’s actions: "the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."

Caudle’s inflammatory rhetoric has garnered significant attention, especially as it seemingly advocates for violence in opposition to Musk’s efforts to expose government fraud and cut spending. In response, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the situation, writing, “They are afraid that their fraud will be discovered,” suggesting that critics of DOGE are concerned about its potential to expose financial misconduct.

This tells me that he is trying to hide MASSIVE fraud https://t.co/VMC4LmYnwG

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 10, 2025

DOGE, which aims to monitor and limit government spending, has faced considerable legal challenges. After the initiative was granted access to the U.S. Treasury’s federal payment system, a lawsuit was filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and 18 other state attorneys general. The lawsuit followed the suspension of funds previously allocated to climate change programs, further intensifying the controversy surrounding Musk’s project.