Fox News Host Apologizes for Quoting Senator’s Profane Attack on Elon Musk During Live Interview

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Amanda Austin
February 24, 2025
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(Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Fox News host Mike Emanuel issued an on-air apology to Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) after repeating a profane remark made by Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) about billionaire Elon Musk. During a Sunday interview on Fox News, Emanuel referenced Smith’s sharp criticism of Musk, who had recently ordered all federal employees to submit weekly reports justifying their jobs.

“So Elon Musk is asking government employees to basically lay out what they’ve accomplished for the taxpayers over the past week or so,” Emanuel explained. He then cited Smith’s blunt reaction, saying: “That is triggering some of your colleagues from Senator Tina Smith, quote, ‘This is the ultimate dick boss move from Musk, except he isn’t even the boss. He’s just a dick.'”

“I apologize for the language,” he added. “I consider this a family program, but that’s what she said.”
While Blackburn did not address the profanity, she sided with Musk, supporting his call for greater accountability from federal employees.

“We want people who have been working jobs, many of them working remotely, not showing up to the office in years, many of them working only one day a week in the office,” she stated. According to Blackburn, Musk’s demand for weekly progress reports mirrors standard practices in the private sector.

Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk gestures while speaking during an inauguration event at Capital One Arena on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo credit Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

“Tell us what you’re doing with your time. You know, this is what happens in the private sector, and everybody has to fill out a report every week,” she said. The senator went on to criticize federal employees who opposed Musk’s directive, arguing that government workers should be required to report on their productivity.

“Tell us what you’re doing. What have you accomplished?” she pressed. “And we have federal employees that are saying we don’t want to do that. We want to do whatever we want to do on our time.” Blackburn concluded by insisting that such resistance “is not acceptable.”

The ongoing debate over Musk’s influence on federal employment policies has divided lawmakers. While critics like Sen. Smith view his actions as overreach and corporate arrogance, supporters like Blackburn argue that accountability measures are necessary for a more efficient government.

As the public discourse continues, Musk remains at the center of the controversy, with lawmakers split on whether his aggressive workforce management tactics are a step toward reform or a corporate-style overreach into federal governance.