Tim Walz says he was joking when he mocked Tesla's falling stock: 'These people have no sense of humor'

First he was a "knucklehead" now he's a "smarta--." 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said Saturday that he was making a joke when he made a comment last week mocking Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk for the company's recent downward trend in the stock market.

Walz attempted to clarify his comments during a town hall in Rochester, Minnesota.

"This guy bugs me in a way that’s probably unhealthy," Walz said, referring to Musk. "I have to be careful about being a smarta--. I was making a joke. These people have no sense of humor. They are the most literal people."

"But my point was, they're all mad, and I said something I probably shouldn't have about a company," he continued.

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Earlier in the week, the governor was holding an event in Wisconsin when he mocked Tesla's falling stock.

"Some of you know this. On the iPhone, they’ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day — $225 and dropping," Walz said. "And if you own one, we’re not blaming you. You can take dental floss and pull the Tesla thing off."

As of March, Tesla's stock is down 41.4% year-to-date.

There have been a series of recent vandalism incidents targeting Tesla vehicles in a protest against Musk for his role in President Donald Trump's administration.

Walz further criticized Musk on Saturday for his role in the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, in which the billionaire tech executive seeks to cut the federal workforce as a cost-cutting initiative for the federal government.

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"They're all butthurt about the Tesla thing, but they don't care about the disrespect they have shown to employees at the Minneapolis VA who care for our veterans, and they fire them. They don't care," the governor said.

"Maybe it's just me. If I'm the richest man in the world, I'm like out on the streets handing out money," he added. "It'd be fun as hell just to help people out. Go help people out. Not this guy."