Democratic strategist James Carville mentioned in a podcast on Thursday that Elon Musk, the CEO of X, isn’t keen on rejoining the Democratic Party.
Musk, who had previously backed Democratic candidates, is now showing support for Donald Trump in the 2024 election, which has led to considerable funding for his campaign. Carville indicated during the Daily Beast podcast that if the Democrats were to gain Musk’s backing again, it might not be particularly beneficial.
“Should the Democrats try to woo him back? His platform X is quite handy. He’s said he won’t be investing more in politics for now,” host Joanna Coles noted. “But I wonder if it’s even worth it at this point?”
After Coles clarified she meant if Musk would indeed return, Carville just responded with a definitive “No.”
“No? Do you really think that’s possible?” Coles pressed.
“Honestly, I can’t see what he could offer after everything. Look at the chaos he’s caused in the federal government,” Carville replied. “Why would you even want him?”
Coles countered that Musk’s X platform holds value, but acknowledged that Carville raises a valid concern about his influence over government matters. According to a claim from the Government Efficiency of Musk (DOGE), they assert that as of May 11, it has saved taxpayers about $170 billion by cutting unnecessary contracts, battling fraud, and downsizing the federal workforce.
For instance, DOGE has reportedly cut back on the U.S. Organization for International Development (USAID) significantly, which has been criticized for allegedly misusing taxpayer dollars to support various international initiatives that align with both conservative and liberal agendas.
“He used to be a Democrat,” Coles noted. “Then he switched and got pulled into the Republican fold.”
“Maybe he was smart once, but then he got too involved,” Carville responded.
Musk has faced substantial backlash from Democrats since he took over Twitter in 2022, as well as from his support for Trump and his interactions with the current administration.
CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten highlighted in March the sharply changed perception of Musk among Democrats since 2017. “I can’t recall seeing such a stark shift in opinions; Musk’s favorable rating has plummeted from plus 24 in 2017 to minus 19 in 2025,” Enten stated. “Once, he was a favorite among Democrats with a plus 35 rating, but now his approval has dropped significantly.”
CNN’s Van Jones pointed out in a December New York Times discussion that the party’s actions have alienated key figures like Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Joe Rogan: “I hope we can recognize that we’ve pushed away too many dissenters from within our party,” he remarked.
