a The photo is worth a thousand words – or more precisely $288 million. That was the total for Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. Donation Donald Trump's presidential campaign. His reward was explained dramatically by This week's Time Magazine cover: Image of musk, coffee cup sitting behind the determined desk used by all US presidents since Jimmy Carter.
I speculated that the “President Musk” photo was designed to cause a pale-skinned Trump known for respecting Time Magazine.This year's person”. The president responded with a pointy joke earlier on Friday. “Are Time Magazine still in business? I didn't know that either.”
Musk, for him I wrote it On his X social media platform: “I love @RealdonaldTrump.
That was done An unlikely relationship It is bringing an unsettling revolution in America. Trump and Musk share their desire for confusion, violation of rules, and a coming and going liberal. The convergence of the world's most powerful man and the world's most wealthy man writes double trouble for democracy in the eyes of critics.
Can bromance last? Recent history is littered with examples of Trump's acolite, who threatened to steal some of his spotlight. I paid the price. Skeptics have predicted almost the end of the Trump Musk axis from when it began, suggesting that the two giant egos will certainly collide.
However, others recognize symbiotic relationships that may distance themselves. Joe Walsha former Republican leader and Trump critic said: “They are the two most powerful people on the planet right now. They desperately need each other.
“They're on this for a long time, so people who think they'll arrest this in a month or two are smoking something. Four years of these two have been doing this. They're the two monsters It's like that, and I'm getting stronger every day. ”
At first glance, Trump and Musk have little in common. Trump is a 78-year-old property developer and reality TV star from New York, who came late in politics, spent hours on golf courses and has a cultural frame of reference rooted in the 1980s.
Musk, 53, is the CEO of Tesla, an electric car maker, a rocket company born in South Africa during the racial apartheid era and is a star-founded rocket company in Silicon Valley. He publicly states that he has Asperger's syndrome, which is part of the autism spectrum.
2016, He said Trump “It doesn't seem to have the kind of personality that is well reflected in the United States.” In 2022, Trump said “Musk”Bully Artist“To support opponents in 2016 and 2020. By last year, both had sang different songs.
Musk threw weight behind Trump in the election against Kamala Harris, became his top donor, spoke at campaign rally, and raised the pro-Trump propaganda on his X social media platform. He spent an election night at Trump's Mar Arago Real Estate in Palm Beach, Florida, celebrating the inauguration with an obvious Nazi salute.
Musk has so far been the biggest single difference between Trump's first term as president and his second term. Called the “First Buddy,” he is the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force aimed at restructuring federal agencies, reducing budgets, eradicating waste and corruption, and dismissing employees. was appointed to.
Trump is known for his leadership style, which rules by fear and demands full loyalty from workers, and through the federal government, without considering the constitution or the rule of law, “moves fast and things fast.” It brought a proper approach to breaking.
His Doge team of young software engineers was quick to access Financial Payment Systemwhich is responsible for a billion annual payments totaling $500 million. Contains sensitive information including bank accounts and Social Security payments.
Doge then closed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), smashing down the US soft power tools and cutting off critical food and medical programs around the world, without seeking the necessary authority from Congress. Musk I'm happy to tweet: “We fed USAID to Wood Chipper over the weekend.”
Doge's tactics include locking out employees, freezing funds, termination of leases and offering workers a “deferred resignation” package. Musk has also used his X platform to promote Trump's agenda, attack critics and make outrageous statements. He named USAID “evil” and “criminal organisation” without providing evidence.
Mask is not a full-time government employee and instead retains the status of a “special civil servant” that can avoid the financial disclosure and public review process. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic minority leader, said “an unelected shadow government is making hostile federal takeovers.”
But Trump appears to be indifferent, saying, “Elon will not do anything without our approval. And we will give him approval as needed. If it is not appropriate, we will “I won't.” A White House source told the Guardian that the president has recruited masks to do “crazy shit” and he's delivering them.
For some commentators, the match makes sense. Researcher at Bill Warren Hoover Facilities A think tank at Stanford University in California said: “It is safe to assume that Donald Trump has always admired wealth, and there are only a handful of people on the planet that can be seen north in terms of wealth.
After the newsletter promotion
“Trump clearly has the power to thrive for Musk, but one thing that may have in common here is that they both enjoy being destroyers and mischievous makers. ”
Musk has both financial and ideological incentives. His company has large contracts with the federal government, and as head of Doge, he is in a position to streamline regulations to benefit directly from them.
He also reveals that he discovers common causes with Trump and his “make America great again” (Maga) movement, focusing on eradicating the so-called “awakening” agenda. . He appears to have eliminated the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative on his previous Twitter, X, and brings that mindset to his government's work.
He shares Trump's worldview about race. Musk falsely claims that the South African government is allowing “genocide” against white farmers. Trump has announced that he will shut down all aid to South Africa for what he claims is a “massive human rights violation” in the form of a new land rights law.
Still, the honeymoon won't last forever. The mask's approval rating is falling rapidly, even among Republicans. Only 43% of Republican respondents say they want to make a “slight” impact on masks. Economist/yougov.
This week, protesters outside the government building carried hand-drawn placards complaining, “No one elected Elon.” Congressional Democrats have it He made him their main targetdenounces him with an illegal grip of power. Maine Representative Jared Golden posted on X: “My constituents and the majority of this country have put Trump in the White House.
This could make masks a useful foil for Trump and distract him from the president. But it may ultimately turn masks into political responsibility, and you may wonder if voters are the main ones and dolls. Pressure from allies such as Steve Bannon; Musk's sharp critic And other high-tech oligarchs, as well as Congressional Republicans, will certainly grow ahead of next year's midterm elections.
Rick Wilson, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, released an attack ad entitled “” this week, a pro-democracy group.President Mask“They will eventually clash. When Trump sees Elon doing political damage to him, he will cut the cord in the hot minutes.
“We don't even need five heartbeats. He sees Elon dragging him in the votes, and Elon has become awfully unpopular in recent weeks — Elon will have a tough moment. ”
Musk, on the other hand, is different from the people Trump had met before. His estimated wealth of $426 billion is smaller than the president. He wields enormous power and influence through X. He may prove that it is more difficult to dispose of than his former lieutenant.
Charlie Sykesthe conservative author and broadcaster said: He can fire or destroy someone else. He can brush Marco Rubio. He was able to destroy JD Vance's political future with a social post of truth. But he's stuck with Elon Musk.
“Elon Musk has his own power base. He has a cult of his own personality. There will be moments when these egos collide. At the same time, there may be only one master of the universe. But how will this be resolved? How will Trump unlock himself from the Frankenstein monster he went to bed with?”
