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New York Liberty player Natasha Cloud recently made headlines for her comments on U.S. taxpayer funding and healthcare during a discussion about the ongoing government shutdown, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks in Israel. On Tuesday, Cloud took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her frustration:
"Happy Tuesday. Our government is shut down because Republicans want to take hardworking Americans’ healthcare. ISRAEL has free healthcare, paid for by none other than THE U.S. TAXPAYERS. Like, what are we actually talking about?"
While Cloud’s statement suggests that American taxpayers fund healthcare in Israel, it’s important to clarify that Israel operates its own universal healthcare system, which is funded through national income taxes and health-related taxes paid by its residents. Although U.S. aid does impact Israel’s healthcare sector indirectly, it primarily comes in the form of military assistance and targeted grants for medical supplies.
In related news, Senate Democrats blocked another attempt by Republicans to reopen the government for the sixth time on Wednesday, amidst increasing pressure and warnings from the White House. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has framed the debate around government reopening through the lens of healthcare, particularly focusing on expiring tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Cloud’s remarks have sparked significant controversy and fact-checking on social media.
SENATE STALLS ON SHUTDOWN VOTE AMID WARNINGS ABOUT FURLOUGHED WORKERS
A recurring theme in Cloud’s social media presence is her left-leaning stance, which has drawn both support and criticism. Recently, she faced backlash for a post related to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, where she speculated on the political affiliations of the alleged assassin’s family.
Cloud has also made several contentious statements, including claims that the alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, was a "far-right Republican," and linking the incident to threats against historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). She expressed her outrage on X, questioning why HBCUs were targeted when the shooter was a "22-year-old white boy from Utah."
Additionally, in July, Cloud commented on President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), expressing her support for socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. She asserted that if Trump or ICE attempted to intervene in New York, they would face strong resistance from the city’s residents.
In June, she reacted to U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites with a somber post, calling it a "sad day" and suggesting it could warrant impeachment.
Earlier this year, Cloud criticized Trump’s decision to eliminate various government diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, stating, "The systems of power are working as they always were intended to work, and it’s time to break down a system that has only been about white men."
The Liberty’s season concluded on September 19 when they were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs in the first round by the Phoenix Mercury.
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About the Author: Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital, with previous experience at ESPN and Business Insider. He has covered major sports events including the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed renowned athletes across various sports.
