Martina Navratilova trolls $425 billion-worth Elon Musk with one-word reaction to 'DEI immigrant' jibe after SpaceX Starship explosion

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova endorsed a pointed jab at tech billionaire Elon Musk. The critique, which branded Musk as a "DEI immigrant," gained traction following the explosive failure of SpaceX’s Starship rocket during a crucial test flight.

The incident in question occurred on January 16, 2025, when SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded shortly after liftoff during its seventh test flight. The 400-foot-tall rocket lifted off successfully from SpaceX's Starbase in South Texas, but the spacecraft was lost minutes into the flight. The first-stage booster had returned to the launch site and was caught by the launch tower's arms.

Elon Musk, whose net worth is estimated to be around $425 billion (as per celebritynetworth.com), addressed the incident on social media, suggesting that an oxygen or fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall could have occurred.

Amid this backdrop, an X (formerly Twitter) user directed a sharp critique at SpaceX’s leadership, seemingly questioning Musk’s qualifications in light of his immigrant background, writing:

"When is SpaceX gonna get rid of the DEI immigrant running the company?"

This comment was likely linked to Musk's recent controversial remarks attributing the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to DEI practices. Musk had suggested that the Los Angeles Fire Department's focus on DEI may have compromised their ability to effectively combat the fires, tweeting:

"DEI means die," implying that prioritizing DEI over operational efficiency led to tragic outcomes.

Martina Navratilova reshared the tweet with a one-word reaction, indicating her agreement with the criticism:

"Ha!"

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Martina Navratilova labels Elon Musk "a d*ck" over his contentious defense of H1B visas

Martina Navratilova during the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards press conference (Image source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova called out Elon Musk for his controversial stance on the H-1B visa debate, which sparked heated discussions online last month.

Musk, whose companies Tesla and SpaceX use the program to hire skilled foreign workers, defended it in a sharp exchange with a Trump supporter on X (formerly Twitter).

"The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B. Take a big step back and F**K YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend," Musk wrote.

Responding to Musk's provocative tweet, the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion wrote:

"He is just such a d*ck.."

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump backed Elon Musk, emphasizing their mutual support for the program.