Elon Musk parachuted into Ohio politics last week and, unsurprisingly, Ohioans were having none of it.
The world’s richest man and owner of X labeled Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther a “traitor to America” in a Dec. 20 post, amplifying an accusation from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller that Ginther was somehow “advocating for mass Somali migration.” The charge quickly went viral. So did the backlash, especially from Columbus residents, who flooded Reddit to make it clear that Musk’s intervention wasn’t just unwelcome, it was laughable.
“Don’t pick on Ginther, that’s our job!” one top comment read, racking up hundreds of upvotes and setting the tone for the thread.
The spark for the controversy was a Dec. 19 video Ginther shared during ICE’s “Operation Buckeye.” In it, the mayor reiterated that Columbus does not discriminate against residents based on immigration status, and that local police will not be used to carry out ICE arrests. He also offered general advice for residents on how to interact with federal law enforcement. Notably, Ginther never mentioned Somali migration.
That didn’t stop Miller, a key architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, from accusing the mayor of promoting it anyway. Musk then jumped in, replying to Miller’s post by branding Ginther a “traitor to America,” instantly dragging Columbus into the national culture war churn.
Locally, the reaction was less reverent than Musk may have expected.
“He’s our Mayor Quimby! We have exclusive rights to roast him!” another Redditor joked, while others piled on with a familiar Columbus mix of sarcasm, irritation, and civic pride. Several commenters pointed out what they saw as irony in Musk as a South African-born billionaire, questioning anyone else’s devotion to America.
“Andrew Ginther was born at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio,” one comment noted, before contrasting that with Musk’s immigration history. “Some notes to compare for those thinking they should be the arbiter of devotion to America.”
Others were even more blunt. “Elon, the South African IMMIGRANT, can go *expletive* himself,” one user wrote, while another added, “Elon Musk not liking our city is a huge positive in my eyes. Keep that weird loser away from here.”
Beyond Musk himself, many commenters zeroed in on the broader pattern they see playing out, particularly the renewed fixation on Somali communities. Columbus is home to the second-largest Somali population in the United States after Minnesota, with estimates ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 people. Somali families have been part of the city for decades, something locals were quick to point out.
“Haven’t Somalis been in Columbus for about 30 years now?” one commenter asked. Replies confirmed it’s been even longer, with the first large wave of refugees arriving in the early 1990s and entire generations growing up in the city since.
That context matters, especially after former President Donald Trump recently referred to Somali immigrants in Minnesota as “garbage,” comments that prompted rallies and solidarity efforts within Columbus earlier this month.
City Hall, for its part, declined to engage in the name-calling. In a statement, mayoral spokesperson Jennifer Lockrey said that while others “can choose name calling,” the city remains focused on its residents.
“Mayor Ginther remains committed to keeping Columbus safe for everyone who lives and works here,” Lockrey said. “Columbus will continue to be a city that follows laws and leads with humanity.”
On Reddit, that stance didn’t exactly turn Ginther into a folk hero, but it did produce a rare moment of unity.
“Ffs now I gotta defend Ginther…” one commenter admitted, capturing the mood of a city that may love to criticize its mayor, but bristles at outsiders taking shots at Columbus and its communities.
