Natasha Lyonne stuns fans by praising Trump and Elon Musk

Martha Ross, The Mercury News on Oct 21, 2026

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Shortly after Natasha Lyonne appeared to call Vice President JD Vance a “sketchy mofo” early Tuesday, she returned to X to praise his boss, President Donald Trump, and his fervent supporter Elon Musk, leaving her fans in a state of disbelief.

“You’re too cool to believe this (expletive),” one person said to Lyonne in reply to her X post, which appeared to compliment Trump with a string of emojis, including a rocket ship and a smiley face.

The 47-year-old “Russian Doll” star had retweeted a post from Trump, which in turn complimented the controversial billionaire SpaceX and Tesla founder who briefly served in Trump’s White House, leading his Department of Government Efficiency initiative.

“A BIG THANK YOU to our legendary friend, @ElonMusk, for his incredible generosity in giving SpaceX Stock to millions of American children through TRUMP ACCOUNTS!” Trump wrote. The president added, “This is exactly what was envisioned when we created TRUMP ACCOUNTS… Thank you Elon!”

“Oh no mama, delete this,” another person said to Lyonne, while another added: “Deep into this horrific presidential run and when his popularity is at an all time low is a very insane time to show support for this man.”

Yet another person voiced a common lament among people who discover that a favorite celebrity supports a political figure whom they find objectionable or who espouses viewpoints they find objectionable.

“Damn, it sucks to see someone you like publicly reveal themselves to be a complete self-oblivious idiot,” this fourth person said. “Welp, you’ve lost a fan.”

The Daily Beast said it reached out to Lyonne for comment but had received no response. The publication also noted that her Trump repost immediately followed the Vance post, which was a recirculation of a clip that showed the vice president using an anti-immigrant smear to dismiss a protester at a rally. The protester stood up behind Vance to raise concerns about Trump’s friendship with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

In that post, Lyonne wrote “prefer Trump,” while she also appeared to denounce Vance for being “sketchy” and for being part of a frightening “aesthetic.” Lyonne said, “Grimey times.”

But Lyonne’s post also unleashed a backlash against what could be seen as her attempt at humor or some kind of clever political commentary.

When a commenter asked Lyonne to clarify what she meant by “prefer Trump,” she wrote, “To insert Manchurian Candidate here?”

Someone else asked: “Girl what the (expletive) are you smoking?”

And yet another person said: “Do actors realize their absolute STUPIDITY will live online forever?! Actors were so much cooler back in the day when they were more mysterious and we didn’t realize how (expletive) STUPID they are. My god.”

The Daily Beast reported that Lyonne lives in “a deep-blue” borough of Manhattan, New York, and is a registered Democrat who fundraised for the party on social media in 2020.

But her X posts have raised questions among fans about whether she is “the new Nate Bargatze,” the Daily Beast also reported. The previously “apolitical” comedian and “Saturday Night Live” host also lost followers when he joined MAGA luminaries, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at a UFC match Trump staged on the White House lawn to celebrate his 80th birthday,

The star of “Orange is the New Black” and the “American Pie” franchise is a native New Yorker and former child star who is known for her wild red curls, distinctly raspy voice and her reputation for candor and vulnerability, especially when it comes to being open about her struggles with heroin addiction and cocaine and alcohol abuse. In January, Lyonne shared on social media that she had relapsed after nearly a decade of sobriety.

In April, Lyonne was escorted off a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to New York over reports that she appeared disoriented and did not respond to flight attendants who had repeatedly asked her to close her laptop and fasten her seatbelt. She later apologized, saying she had taken a sleeping pill.

“Indeed, I took a Lunesta once seated, to ensure some shut eye on the Delta One red eye flight to NYC,” she posted on social media Friday. “Boarded seamlessly with just a backpack and sneakers, eager for a nap.”