CNN
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Whether Elon Musk is the real “president,” just “prime minister,” or just Donald Trump’s billionaire enforcer, he poses a potential conflict of interest for the new administration. He is about to take on an unprecedented role.
The dust has yet to subside after the Tesla and SpaceX forerunner played a role last week in blocking year-end House spending plans that ultimately kept the government running through March. was replaced by a small stop-gap law to
On Sunday, Republican lawmakers rushed to praise and defend X owners. Perhaps that’s not surprising, since the world’s richest man has threatened to finance the primaries of members of Congress who don’t comply with President Trump’s orders.
“Thank God Elon Musk bought Twitter, because that’s the only way we’re going to know what’s in this bill,” Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” spoke. This comment may seem strange, since lawmakers should not need social media networks to read bills before voting. But Hagerty also said Musk’s “offices were inundated with calls from constituents” after Musk complained that the bill was full of inflated spending, and that Musk’s response to the Republican base was revealed its dominance.
‘Trump is the clear leader’: Hagerty criticizes Democrats who suggest Elon Musk will lead the Republican Party
Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Tony Gonzalez of Texas spoke out about future developments in Washington. “We have a president. We have a vice president. We have a speaker. And it feels as if Elon Musk is our prime minister,” he said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” ” he said.
Democrats are trying to make some adjustments to President Trump’s vanity. Even after winning a second term, Trump mockingly hints that he is not as powerful as the South African-born tech tycoon he put in charge of downsizing the government after taking office. .
Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware has come up with a scenario for President Musk’s “State of the Union” address that doubles down on the chaos that characterized President Trump’s first term. “This is a prediction of what’s going to happen. Not only will President-elect Trump be a billionaire tweeting furiously at 4 a.m., but Elon Musk will also be a billionaire in the way he approaches issues of great complexity and importance to our country. “It will lead to instability,” he said.
Coons’ comments came after several Democrats spoke of a “mask president” last week as the country teetered on the brink of a government shutdown.
“Wednesday morning, Elon Musk proved he is the true leader of the Republican Party, because for about four, five, six hours, he tweeted against the deal that all sides had negotiated and agreed to. Because he tweeted non-stop,” Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle told CNN’s Jessica Dean on Saturday.
The strategy was a welcome start for a party that struggled to project a convincing message in the election and has slumped ever since, but President Trump’s decision to raise the issue himself on Sunday gave him credit. It seems like it played.
“No, he’s not going to run for president,” Trump told conservative activists at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix. The president-elect claims he likes to have smart people around him, and after suggesting he is trying to delegitimize his first term over “Russia, Russia, Russia,” his opponents say He accused them of launching a “new attack.” President Trump continued, “No, I can tell you, he’s not going to be president. And I’m safe, you know why? He’s not supposed to be — he wasn’t born in this country.” Noda.”
Trump’s comments suggest that, at the very least, the constant coverage of Musk’s role has caught Trump’s attention and he resents the idea that his new best friend is the power behind the throne. . It will also spark fresh speculation about how long the president-elect, who usually doesn’t like to share the spotlight, will tolerate Mr. Musk’s soaring profile — even though both men are almost always seen face-to-face with the technology pioneer. Even if they have great motivation to continue the friendship they have formed. Since the election, he has been by President Trump’s side at Mar-a-Lago.
Tesla investor explains why he’s dissatisfied with Musk’s political involvement
Mr. Musk’s innovations have revolutionized e-commerce, electric vehicles and the space industry, and he is leading the U.S. push to put humans on Mars. He is considered a hero by many Americans. And since taking over X, his increasingly right-wing, populist political views and ability to mobilize supporters have made him a talisman to grassroots Trump voters who believe the government has failed.
Technically, there is no question who has the most power. Trump will be sworn in as president on January 20th, taking command of the world’s most powerful military and vast nuclear arsenal. He will also be boosted by a Supreme Court ruling from one of the cases that expanded the scope of executive authority. Musk, co-chair of the Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is unlikely to have any real power without the new president’s continued support.
With his extraordinary wealth, the megaphone afforded him by ownership of one of the largest social media networks, and his vast international interests, global corporations and connections, Musk is an example of a rare kind of non-state power. He has the ability to influence governments, elections, the economy, and even the conduct of wars. Therefore, if he acts in the national interest, he could be an asset to President Trump and the United States.
But Musk’s presence at the heart of the U.S. government also raises the prospect of a staggering amount of potential conflicts of interest, especially since his company benefits from billions of dollars in government contracts. There is. Mr. Musk will be in a position to streamline DOGE regulations to directly benefit his business. And after providing tens of millions of dollars to the Trump campaign, he will wield vast non-electoral powers that are beyond the reach of nearly every other American.
CNN reporter breaks down how President Trump’s DOGE could force federal workers to retire
And President Trump, perhaps more than any recent president, seems susceptible to the magnetism of a figure of Musk’s stature and charisma, and the status symbol of having the world’s richest man as a court official.
Mr. Musk’s power was on display last week when he shot down House Speaker Mike Johnson’s original stopgap spending bill with a furious post to X. The post on X was posted before the president-elect, raising questions about whether he was a freelancer.
President Trump then followed up by vowing to strongly oppose the bill himself and demanding that President Joe Biden increase the government’s borrowing authority before he leaves office. His comments have fueled speculation that the president-elect may be looking to take further action than Mr. Musk to emphasize his authority. In any case, the way Mr. Musk was able to initially defend the spending bill and the way he was able to immediately wield power over Mr. Johnson, who is second in the constitutional line of succession to the vice president, was unusual.
Mike Johnson asks Elon Musk: “Do you want to be Chairman?”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin asserted in an interview with CNN’s Caitlan Collins on Friday that Musk is working closely with the president-elect. “You saw Elon and President Trump working together as a team. I promise you, they were visiting all the time,” the Oklahoma Republican said. “Elon was doing the job that President Trump wanted, and President Trump was taking on another job.”
Still, Musk’s prominent role could open new avenues of attack for Democrats, especially when Musk and DOGE co-chairman and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswami are trying to get Trump to run for president. Especially if they begin to recommend the elimination of programs that working Americans depend on. Help campaign. Between the president-elect’s ties to blue-collar workers and choosing a Cabinet filled with millionaires and billionaires who are likely to benefit unfairly from the huge tax cuts he proposes next year. There is already a thematic disconnect.
There will also be complications over Musk’s role and potential conflicts over foreign policy. Tesla owners operate in almost every country in the world and in many global hotspots. His internet service Starlink, for example, is vital to Ukraine’s war effort after Russia’s illegal invasion more than two years ago. President Trump has vowed to end the war as soon as he takes office, and on Sunday hinted at the possibility of early talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As Mr. Trump takes control of America’s relations with other countries, he could face a backlash from Mr. Musk’s attempts to shape politics around the world. For example, his new friends criticize the new British government of Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer. And last week, he endorsed Germany’s far-right party as the country struggles with a political crisis. “Only the AfD can save Germany,” Musk wrote on Friday’s X. For him, expressing his right to free speech as an individual is another thing. But given Musk’s closeness to President Trump and the semi-official role he will play in the incoming administration, his comments could cause confusion about U.S. policy and the new president’s views.
Additionally, there is a risk of ethical conflicts between Musk’s domestic political activities and his international business. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to Congressional leaders last week saying Musk was working to derail provisions in the original funding bill that screened investments in China. He claimed that Musk suggested he was protecting the Tesla factory. In Shanghai. Musk called for the Connecticut lawmaker to be expelled from Congress over DeLauro’s criticism of his role in the government shutdown.
Mr. Musk’s rising profile has fueled debate about how long Mr. Trump will tolerate what is likely the brightest star in his orbit. The spaceflight visionary has a vested interest in extending his contract with the U.S. government, so any rift between them could be painful for both parties. And President Trump may be concerned about stirring up a backlash from friends-turned-enemies who control X.
But former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was once friendly with Trump until he was elbowed out of his inner circle, predicted that Musk’s status as the president-elect’s right-hand man would not last long.
“When you first start playing the role, you’re going to have a tremendous amount of influence,” Christie said Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week.” “And he loves having you around and he loves listening to you and you’re the greatest person in the world. It’s bound to go down. And that’s what happens. And you You’ll see that happen with Elon Musk.”
