Title: ‘Behaving as if He’s a Co-President’: Musk’s Presence Ruffles Feathers in Trump’s Circle
Elon Musk, the tech mogul and co-founder of SpaceX, has been a near-constant presence at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate since Election Day, a fact that has reportedly caused tension amongst members of President Donald Trump’s inner circle. Two sources familiar with the transition, who spoke to NBC News on the condition of anonymity, illuminated the simmering disquiet among Trump’s most trusted confidantes.
According to the sources, the issue is not Musk’s involvement per se but stems from the perception that he has essentially taken on the role of co-president, though no such formal arrangement exists. Musk’s enthusiasm for playing such an active role has purportedly caused him to overstep his boundaries on more than one occasion.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition team, however, portrayed the relationship as harmonious. Countering the unnamed sources’ inside information with the official stance, she stated, “Elon Musk and President Trump are great friends and brilliant leaders working together to Make America Great Again.”
Though Leavitt painted a glossy picture of warm camaraderie, the sources provided NBC with a somewhat contradicting story. The narrative described an atmosphere growing increasingly tense with Musk’s escalating involvement. What started as friendly advice seems to have slowly transformed into a more politically active role.
Musk’s regular presence in the Mar-a-Lago complex has started to unsettle Trump’s long-time advisors, many of whom were reportedly put off by his tendency to speak out of turn in strategic meetings and sessions. Musk’s proactive involvement in policy discussions provoked discomfort among the group typically used to operating within the more familiar power dynamics.
However, it’s not just Trump’s existing circle who have grown weary of Musk’s perceived overreach. Beyond Mar-a-Lago’s manicured lawns, other political figures have expressed concern about his involvement. Critics argue that Musk appears to operate under a delusion of shared power. This, they warn, could potentially undermine the authority of the sitting president and blur the lines of formal political structures, disrupting the democracy’s balance.
Alongside this, whispers around Musk’s ‘co-presidential behavior’ are also echoed around possible contradictions to his business interests. He has a central role in some of the leading tech companies in the world, including Tesla and SpaceX. The concern is that his presence in these meetings might afford him an unfair advantage on policy matters, potentially skewing governmental decisions to favor his numerous ventures.
Yet, despite these concerns, Leavitt maintains that President Trump values Musk’s contributions and insights. “While it’s true that Elon is very involved, we believe it only strengthens our team, and we completely support our president’s willingness to entertain diverse ideas”, she concluded.
As the transition continues there is little evidence to suggest any imminent change in the unofficial dynamic shared between Musk and Trump. Time will tell if the growing unease will spill over into public contention or whether Musk will continue to tread the politically charged floors of Mar-a-Lago. Until then, Musk’s ‘co-presidential’ status continues to accompany whispers in the corridors of power.
