President Donald Trump is reportedly telling his closest advisers that co-President Elon Musk will quickly exit the administration, Politico reported on Wednesday—an obvious effort to distance himself from the unpopular megabillionaire whose destruction of the federal authorities hangs like an albatross round Republicans’ necks in upcoming elections.
The report comes after Musk spent $25 million on a race for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Courtroom, solely to finish up tanking Republicans’ possibilities. Democrats, in the meantime, ran a marketing campaign tying the conservative nominee to Musk, whose efforts to slash the federal authorities by means of his so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity have prompted chaos and struggling and are very unpopular. The anti-Musk message led Democrats to an sizable victory, making certain that liberals will keep a majority for a minimum of the subsequent two years.
Musk’s omnipresence within the Trump administration additionally led Republicans to place up poor showings in two congressional particular elections in Florida, the place the GOP nominees underperformed President Donald Trump’s 2024 margins by double-digits.
Most stunning was the Republican underperformance in Florida’s 1st District, as soon as held by accused intercourse pest Matt Gaetz. Rep.-elect Jimmy Patronis gained the seat by lower than 15 proportion factors, after Gaetz carried it by greater than 30 factors simply 5 months in the past. The district is house to a navy base and has a big inhabitants of federal staff—a bunch Trump and Musk have focused since taking workplace on Jan. 20—which might account for the voter backlash.
Based on Politico’s report, Musk’s “special government employee” standing—which lets him evade ethics guidelines—was set to run out in late Might or early June. However it’s curious that the rumblings that Musk could depart sooner got here out a day after it turned abundantly clear that Musk could possibly be a severe legal responsibility for the GOP in elections in Virginia and New Jersey later this 12 months, in addition to the midterm elections in 2026.
Even when Musk formally offers up his place within the Trump administration, Democrats shouldn’t let Trump escape Musk’s unpopularity or the injury he’s finished by means of DOGE.
At greatest, Trump has accepted and authorized of the cuts Musk has pushed, and at worst, Trump is utilizing Musk as a protect to keep away from being held personally answerable for the ache the cuts are inflicting. For instance, Musk has hobbled the Social Safety Administration and made it tougher for beneficiaries to obtain their funds, slashed 1000’s of federal jobs that can curtail analysis for most cancers and different diseases, result in inaccurate climate experiences, and damage veterans’ well being care, amongst different issues.
Musk will even absolutely nonetheless spend in elections to assist Republicans. And he’s contemplating giving Trump’s midterm political operation a $100 million injection of money—so his desires will nonetheless be carried out by the Trump administration even after he is gone.
What’s extra, Politico’s report says that Musk would not be totally gone even when his “special government employee” standing expires. Trump administration officers count on Musk will nonetheless have an advisory position.
And most of all, Trump has mentioned time and again that he approves of the selections Musk has made, so he owns no matter destructive penalties Musk’s actions have inflicted.
“I think he’s amazing, but I also think he’s got a big company to run. So at some point he’s going to be going back,” Trump mentioned Monday. “He wants to. I’d keep him as long as I could keep him. He’s a very talented guy.”
If Democrats have been sensible, they’d run these feedback in advertisements subsequent to the destructive penalties Musk’s cuts have had.
