In a heated exchange on Twitter, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk clashed over intelligence and accomplishments, sparking a social media debate that drew in prominent conservative figures.

The confrontation began when AOC took a swipe at House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, referencing a social media meme about “girl math” that humorously critiques financial reasoning. Ocasio-Cortez used the meme to criticize McCarthy’s political decisions and actions, igniting a political conversation.

Conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair quickly joined the discussion, sharing a video clip of Ocasio-Cortez discussing immigration at Ellis Island during the early 20th century. St. Clair challenged Ocasio-Cortez’s comparison of historical immigration to the current migrant crisis, leading to a broader debate.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, took the opportunity to weigh in with a comment that escalated the dispute. Musk simply stated, “She’s just not that smart.” This remark triggered a robust response from Ocasio-Cortez, who listed her accomplishments as a rebuttal to Musk’s criticism.

I wasn’t born rich and became the youngest woman in American history to be elected to Congress.

Then I investigated Cohen, authored the largest FEMA funeral assistance program in history and led creation of a US Climate Corps to create tens of thousands of new jobs.

Stay mad 💁🏽‍♀️ https://t.co/EDsPGs8Bx6

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 27, 2023

Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that she wasn’t born into wealth and highlighted her historic election to Congress as the youngest woman in American history to achieve such a feat. She also emphasized her involvement in investigations, such as those related to Michael Cohen, as well as her role in authoring the largest FEMA funeral assistance program in history. Furthermore, she touted her leadership in the creation of a U.S. Climate Corps, aimed at generating tens of thousands of new jobs.

Her response concluded with a dismissive “Stay mad,” directed at Musk, indicating her willingness to stand her ground in the face of criticism.

This exchange prompted further commentary from conservative figures, with actor and conservative Dean Cain challenging the adequacy of Ocasio-Cortez’s response. Ashley St. Clair questioned the authenticity of Ocasio-Cortez’s Bronx roots, while Chris Brunet, a contributing editor for The American Conservative magazine, criticized her for not addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

According to reports from Fox News, Conservative influencer Harrison Krank also chimed in, downplaying Ocasio-Cortez’s accomplishments by referencing Nancy Pelosi’s previous remark that even a “glass of water with a (D) next to it” could have been elected in her district.

The Twitter feud between Ocasio-Cortez and Musk, along with the involvement of prominent conservative voices, exemplifies the polarized nature of contemporary political discourse in the digital age.

As the debate rages on, it remains to be seen whether any common ground can be found or if this exchange will simply add fuel to the ongoing ideological firestorm.