Is Musk's political career descending to Earth?

Is Elon Musk's stunning presumption astatine the bosom of the Trump presidency winding down? The White House is dismissing reports that he's backing away. Photo: Robin LEGRAND / AFP
Source: AFP

Elon Musk's emergence arsenic President Donald Trump's all-powerful wingman was arsenic accelerated and unstoppable arsenic 1 of his SpaceX rockets. But reports Wednesday are fueling speculation that the billionaire's governmental vocation whitethorn beryllium coming backmost to Earth.

Politico and ABC News quoted unnamed sources saying Musk could measurement distant from an unprecedented relation successful which helium is spearheading brutal cuts to US authorities services and has emerged lone 2nd to Trump arsenic the look of the administration.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Politico's study "garbage." Another spokesman, Harrison Fields, said Politico is simply a "tabloid insubstantial that would alternatively tally fake quality for clicks than existent reporting."

However, determination has been speculation from time 1 implicit however agelong Musk can support his bonzer position, 1 that has seen him get truthful adjacent to Trump that critics dub him the "co-president."

For 2 months, the world's richest idiosyncratic has overseen an ideologically driven crusade by the alleged Department of Government Efficiency, oregon DOGE. While DOGE aims ostensibly to prevention money, Musk has triggered wide alarm by crippling US overseas assistance programs and technological probe astir overnight.

And his prominence wrong the White House has reportedly created friction successful Trump's interior circle.

Not lone was the South Africa-born tech mogul fixed a starring dependable astatine a much-publicized furniture gathering -- contempt having nary authoritative furniture presumption -- but helium regularly appears with Trump successful the Oval Office and flies with the president connected weekends to his Florida play resort.

Trump hinted astatine a gradual break-up this week, telling reporters that "at immoderate constituent Elon's going to privation to spell backmost to his company."

"He wants to. I'd support him arsenic agelong arsenic I could support him," Trump said.

Musk loses 'referendum'

The reports of hostility wrong the White House person been increasing gradually, arsenic person questions implicit however agelong Trump -- not known for liking to stock the limelight -- could enactment up with specified an out-sized personality.

But Trump officials whitethorn privation to springiness the Tesla, SpaceX and X magnate a harder propulsion aft his resounding flop successful trying to tilt an important predetermination successful the American heartland.

Tuesday's contention to capable a vacant spot connected the Wisconsin Supreme Court rapidly took connected nationalist implications aft Trump and particularly Musk threw their value down the blimpish candidate, Brad Schimel.

Reprising his palmy 2024 run tactics for Trump, Musk doled retired currency to voters to drum up publicity and turnout for Schimel. In all, helium poured immoderate $20 cardinal into Wisconsin's contention and campaigned successful the authorities implicit the weekend.

Yet each for nothing: the Democrats' favored candidate, Susan Crawford, won handily.

There was much atrocious quality for Musk connected Wednesday erstwhile his beloved Tesla posted a 13 percent driblet successful worldwide archetypal 4th results -- a slump that follows steadily declining stock prices for the erstwhile stellar brand.

There's a purely bureaucratic crushed Musk whitethorn person to permission the White House and his DOGE relation -- his existent ineligible presumption arsenic a "special authorities employee" is theoretically acceptable to expire by aboriginal June.

But analysts accidental the entrepreneur's governmental aboriginal whitethorn beryllium decided connected different level.

Andrew Koneschusky, a governmental communications adept and erstwhile property caput to Senate Democratic person Chuck Schumer, called the Wisconsin ballot a "referendum" connected Musk.

"Watch intimately for whether susceptible Republicans statesman to region themselves from him successful the weeks and months ahead."

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Source: AFP