For Donald Trump, rather a lot is driving on controversial Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, who looms as a possible main vulnerability if he meddles an excessive amount of with third rail points like Social Safety and Medicaid.
Democrats are even beginning to notice that Musk – a continuing Trump sidekick whose SpaceX is now tasked with the damaging task of bringing again U.S. astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore from house – might be a weak hyperlink that takes down Trump’s presidency.
“Sure, we’re bringing them again in a couple of weeks,” Musk bragged this week concerning the mission that was scheduled Wednesday after which scrubbed. “We’re going to get them again.”
Musk has been in command of retrieving the astronauts, who have been left behind on the Worldwide House Station after malfunctions with the Boeing Starliner capsule. The retrieval has change into a political sizzling matter as a result of Musk and Trump have accused the Biden administration of intentionally leaving the astronauts behind.
So if Musk succeeds in getting the astronauts he’s a hero, but when the mission fails he’ll be the one taking the flak together with President Trump.
Democrats have did not take down Trump so now are concentrating on the unpredictable Musk and DOGE because the villain of the brand new Republican administration.
Trump has to date caught by Musk, however he’s taking part in a harmful recreation.
With fears of tariffs bringing a few potential recession and the inventory market tanking, Trump can sick afford one other setback with voters.
The most important worry for Trump is that Musk tries to dismantle Social Safety and Medicaid – sending child boomer voters right into a full-fledged panic. The specter of extreme cutbacks amid these entitlements, lengthy thought of a 3rd rail in U.S. politics, has angered some Trump allies.
Musk has already triggered inside dissension within the White Home, with figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly clashing bitterly with him at a Cupboard assembly over layoffs and authorities cutbacks on the State Division.
Different Cupboard members additionally reportedly have bristled at Musk’s energy.
Trump needed to rein in Musk in that case, siding with Rubio and bringing the 2 males collectively to maintain the peace.
“Elon and Marco have a terrific relationship,” Trump posted on Reality Social final weekend. “Any assertion aside from that’s faux information!!!”
DOGE works “in session with the Cupboard secretaries and with the departments,” Musk mentioned in an interview with Fox Enterprise Community.
The remark was seen as an olive department put out by Musk to these questioning whether or not he was going too far in slicing authorities businesses.
However it’s clear that Trump is giving Musk lots of leeway to run DOGE although formally he’s not in management.
Trump appears to get pleasure from seeing Musk holding folks on their toes.
However he’s taking pains to keep away from the kind of inside squabbles that plagued his first administration.
“I don’t assume the tensions are excessive,” Trump instructed reporters on Air Drive One. “Look, Elon’s a really particular individual, and these Cupboard individuals are particular folks. You understand, these are very profitable folks. That doesn’t imply they don’t have a bit little bit of an argument right here and there about one thing.”
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