How do you make a former reality TV star and sitting U.S. president look like a supporting character in his own show?
Simple: let Elon Musk waltz into the Oval Office, dressed like he’s about to drop his kid off at daycare, and casually dismantle the entire concept of protocol. That’s exactly what happened on Feb. 11, 2025, when the world’s richest man — and now, apparently, the de facto ruler of the free world — stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Donald Trump during a press conference. Except, Trump wasn’t exactly “shoulder-to-shoulder.” The man who has spent his life demanding loyalty oaths and gold-plated adoration, looked, for lack of a better word, small. This press conference was about Musk reminding everyone who’s really in charge. He brought his kid, and spent more time talking than the actual president.
Musk was addressing the concerns related to DOGE, the committee he was tasked with leading. Its mandate is to supposedly cut waste and investigate fraud. However, DOGE has been criticized for its lack of transparency, and for good reason. Musk’s idea of “efficiency” seems to align perfectly with his business interests. Tesla, SpaceX, and his other ventures have already benefited from billions in federal tax breaks, loans, and contracts. At least 11 federal agencies were investigating Musk’s companies for various alleged shenanigans. Now, he’s in a position to decide which parts of the government get axed.
When a federal judge restricted DOGE from going rogue, Musk’s response wasn’t to respect the rule of law, or maybe reconsider his overreach. Instead, he called for the judge’s impeachment. Is this the new America? A country where judges are vilified for doing their jobs? Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale warned us about what happens when institutions are co-opted by power-hungry leaders. George Orwell’s 1984 showed us the dangers of a world where dissent is crushed and the rule of law is meaningless. And now, Musk and Trump are giving us a live-action version. If we let this happen, we deserve exactly the dystopia we get.
Musk didn’t run for office. He didn’t need to. Instead, he bought his way in with a jaw-dropping campaign donation of nearly $300 million. He was the largest political donor in the 2024 election cycle, effectively becoming Trump’s golden goose. And what did Musk get in return? Influence. Power. And a front-row seat to America’s slow descent into a plutocracy. This man single-handedly tanked a bipartisan spending bill with a few tweets, throwing Congress into chaos before the holidays. He’s meddled in classified government affairs, pissed off the U.K., Canada, Mexico, and Greenland, and seems to be on a mission to destabilize any institution that doesn’t bend to his will.
His influence isn’t limited to America. He openly supports Germany’s AfD, an ultranationalist party with ties to neo-Nazi groups. He’s calling for a “Make Europe Great Again” (MEGA) movement. In that regard, Musk is building a global network of far-right influence. The billionaire seems to be staging a global coup — slowly, methodically, and with a smirk. So in reality, Musk isn’t saving humanity. He’s saving himself. His companies are under investigation. And now, with the Oval Office under his control, he’s positioned to make sure the system keeps working in his favor.
Published: Feb 12, 2025 03:33 pm