President-elect Donald Trump moved this week to quash growing speculation about tech billionaire Elon Musk’s outsized influence in Republican politics. Speaking at a conservative gathering on Sunday, Trump insisted the Tesla and X CEO would not usurp his authority as the incoming commander-in-chief, despite Musk’s pivotal role in derailing a crucial government funding bill last week.
“No, he’s not going to be president, that I can tell you,” Trump told cheering supporters at the Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix. “And I’m safe. You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country.” The remarks came after Musk’s social media blitz helped tank the original spending package, with the billionaire calling it “one of the worst bills ever written” and urging GOP lawmakers to shut down the government rather than support it.
Musk’s Growing GOP Clout Draws Scrutiny
Musk’s successful campaign to sink the bill highlighted his burgeoning influence over Republican politics in the wake of his quarter-billion-dollar support for Trump’s victorious White House bid. The episode led one GOP congressman, Tony Gonzales of Texas, to liken Musk to a “prime minister” in a TV interview on Sunday.
“We have a president, we have a vice-president, we have a speaker. It feels like as if Elon Musk is our prime minister.”
– Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX)
When pressed about Musk’s unelected status, Gonzales defended the billionaire as reflecting “the voice of the people.” The Tesla chief allegedly posted over 100 times to mobilize opposition to the spending bill, preceding similar condemnation from Trump that ultimately forced House Speaker Mike Johnson to craft a slimmed-down alternative measure.
Democrats Raise Conflict of Interest Concerns
While Trump has tapped Musk to co-lead a new office aimed at cutting government inefficiencies, the arrangement has stoked fresh worries among Democrats about potential conflicts of interest given Musk’s sprawling business empire. During the funding fight, top House appropriator Rosa DeLauro alleged Musk worked to axe Chinese investment oversight provisions, suggesting his opposition aimed to protect Tesla’s Shanghai factory.
“We’re not just going to have President-elect Trump as a billionaire rage-tweeting at 4am. We’re going to have Elon Musk also injecting instability into how we tackle very complicated and important issues.”
– Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
Other Democrats like Senator Chris Coons warned the dynamic foreshadows further chaos ahead. “We’re not just going to have President-elect Trump as a billionaire rage-tweeting at 4am,” Coons told CNN on Sunday. “We’re going to have Elon Musk also injecting instability into how we tackle very complicated and important issues.”
Questions Linger Over Musk-Trump Alliance
Some political watchers question the long-term viability of the Musk-Trump alliance, given the former president’s penchant for turning on high-profile supporters who attract too much attention. “When you initially begin in that role, you have enormous influence,” noted ex-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Sunday. “It will always decline. And that’s what happens. And you’ll see it. It will happen with Elon Musk, too.”
Ukraine policy looms as another potential wedge, with Trump vowing to swiftly end the war in a move that could jeopardize Musk’s critical Starlink satellite internet service aiding Kyiv. For now, Trump’s son Donald Jr. is seeking to tamp down any friction, telling the Turning Point conference: “You see what the media is trying to do to break up the relationship that my father has with Elon. They’re trying to cause that schism to prevent these guys doing what they’re going to do best, and we cannot allow that.”
Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump downplayed talk of Elon Musk’s growing Republican influence, insisting the tech billionaire “isn’t going to be president”
- Musk’s social media campaign helped tank a crucial government funding bill last week, underlining his newfound GOP clout
- Some Democrats warn of potential conflicts of interest and further instability from Musk’s political interventions
- Questions linger over the long-term viability of the Musk-Trump alliance, with policy differences like Ukraine looming
As the Trump-Musk dynamic continues to evolve, the funding fight offers an early glimpse of the billionaire’s willingness to wield his political capital – and an early test of his still-developing relationship with the incoming president. With both men accustomed to dominating the spotlight, it remains to be seen whether the alliance will flourish or fracture as Trump retakes the White House.
