In a bizarre twist that only 2024 could bring, Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire known for his outlandish tweets and ambitious space ventures, has taken a peculiar interest in the life choices of Lia Thomas, the controversial swimmer who made headlines for her groundbreaking performance in women’s sports.
Musk, never one to shy away from controversy or Twitter, recently sent out a series of tweets urging Thomas to “leave America and start anew on Mars.”
The tweets, which rapidly gained traction (and memes) across social media, read like a cross between a motivational speech and a sci-fi script:
“@LiaThomas – America doesn’t deserve you. Come to Mars. I’m serious. We’ve got room, and zero gravity could make you unstoppable. 🌍🚀 #MarsIsCalling”
Within minutes, the hashtag #MarsIsCalling began trending, and the internet did what it does best—turned the whole thing into a global spectacle. But what was Elon thinking? And more importantly, why did he think Lia Thomas, of all people, needed to leave the planet?
Some believe Musk’s tweets are a not-so-subtle jab at the increasingly polarized political climate in America. After all, if there’s anyone who could empathize with being polarizing, it’s Musk. From his electric cars to his space endeavors, Musk has managed to anger just about every demographic at some point. Maybe he sees in Thomas a kindred spirit, someone who has also been through the social media wringer and emerged on the other side, albeit a bit bruised.
In Musk’s vision, Mars could be the perfect refuge for those who’ve had enough of Earth’s ever-divisive discourse. “Mars isn’t just about escaping Earth,” Musk tweeted later, adding fuel to the fire, “It’s about escaping Earth’s BS.”
One can almost imagine a reality show called “Mars or Bust,” featuring disgruntled celebrities, athletes, and public figures boarding a SpaceX rocket in search of a fresh start. No Twitter mobs, no cancel culture—just red dust, craters, and the occasional low-gravity leap.
Surprisingly, Lia Thomas herself responded to Musk’s suggestion in an interview that aired on every major news network within hours of the tweetstorm.
“Elon Musk wants me to move to Mars? That’s… interesting,” Thomas said, clearly trying to stifle a laugh. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll stick to conquering Earth first. Mars can wait.”
But in true Thomas style, she didn’t completely close the door on the idea. “Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll swim in a crater lake on Mars. That would be something, wouldn’t it?”
While the world was still reeling from the image of Lia Thomas swimming in Martian waters, Musk was already ten steps ahead. He tweeted out a photoshopped image of Thomas in a spacesuit, holding a gold medal with Mars in the background. The caption? “Gold medals on two planets—now that’s something to aim for. @LiaThomas, the future is interplanetary!”
The internet, never one to miss an opportunity to meme, exploded with creative takes on Musk’s proposal. Within hours, Twitter was flooded with images of Lia Thomas in various sci-fi scenarios—racing aliens, training in zero gravity, and even participating in an intergalactic Olympics.
One particularly viral meme showed Thomas standing on the Martian surface with a sign that read, “Mars 1 – Earth 0.” Another showed Musk and Thomas as the new power duo, akin to Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story, ready to take on the cosmos.
Conspiracy theorists, of course, had their own take. Some claimed Musk’s tweets were a diversion from his latest SpaceX launch mishap, while others speculated that the billionaire was trying to recruit a Martian sports team, with Thomas as the captain. The most outlandish theory suggested that Musk had discovered alien life and wanted to make Lia Thomas the first human ambassador to the extraterrestrial species—because who better to break interspecies boundaries than someone who’s already broken gender barriers?
Not to be outdone, politicians across the spectrum decided to weigh in on Musk’s unexpected proposal. Some praised the billionaire for his forward-thinking vision, while others accused him of trying to “export” America’s problems to another planet.
One politician even took to the floor of Congress to declare, “We need Lia Thomas here, on Earth, fighting the good fight! Mars can wait!”
In the end, the entire episode became a microcosm of modern-day America: equal parts absurd, hilarious, and thought-provoking. Elon Musk’s suggestion, while undoubtedly made in jest, managed to highlight the very real pressures and scrutiny that public figures like Lia Thomas face daily. It also reminded everyone that, in Musk’s world, the sky is not the limit—Mars is.
So, what’s next for Lia Thomas? While she’s not packing her bags for Mars just yet, the idea has certainly captured the public’s imagination. Musk, ever the showman, has hinted that he’s not done with this idea. “Mars isn’t going anywhere,” he tweeted cryptically, leaving the door open for future interplanetary ambitions.
As for Lia Thomas, she seems to be taking it all in stride. “If Elon Musk wants me to swim on Mars, I’ll consider it,” she said with a smile. “But first, I have a few more records to break here on Earth.”
In the end, Musk’s tweets may have been just another example of his penchant for stirring the pot, but they also served as a reminder that in this crazy world, nothing is off the table—not even a one-way ticket to Mars for a polarizing figure like Lia Thomas. After all, if there’s one thing Elon Musk has taught us, it’s to expect the unexpected. And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, Lia Thomas will be the first athlete to bring home the gold for Earth—and Mars.