Some of Donald Trump’s closest allies are worried that Elon Musk, his ‘First Buddy,’ might be slipping out of his control after openly criticizing the president’s AI project.
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, has enjoyed unparalleled closeness to Trump, dating back to his 2024 campaign and continuing after the November election. Musk even shared that he was present with the president in the Oval Office when he signed executive orders on a recent Tuesday.
Insiders from the MAGA camp confided to Politico their apprehension that Musk could start acting independently following his public derision of a $500 billion AI initiative championed by Trump as ‘historic’ and ‘enormous.’
‘The problem is the president doesn’t have any leverage over him and Elon gives zero f**ks,’ the insider said.
‘It’s clear he has abused the proximity to the president.’
Trump stood shoulder to shoulder with Musk’s nemesis Sam Altman from OpenAI, Larry Ellison from Oracle and Masayoshi Son of Softbank earlier this week as he touted a massive AI investment in the U.S. expected to total $500 billion.
Musk was nowhere to be seen, and later wrote on his social media platform X: ‘They don’t actually have the money.
‘SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.’Â
US President Donald Trump, singer Kid Rock and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk pose for a photo as they attend UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden
Donald Trump ‘s inner circle fear he could be losing control over ‘First Buddy’ Elon Musk after the billionaire publicly criticized one of the President’s AI projects
Musk also called Altman a ‘swindler’ and a ‘liar’ and shared a post of him cheering Trump’s election loss in 2020.
Trump was later asked about Musk’s dissent, but swatted away any concerns by pointing out that Musk ‘he hates one of the people in the deal.’Â
He insisted ‘they are putting up the money.’
‘The government’s not putting up anything. They’re putting up money. They’re very rich people, so I hope they do. And, I mean, Elon doesn’t like one of those people.’Â
Altman himself also shot back at Musk, writing on X: ‘i realize what is great for the country isn’t always what’s optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope you’ll mostly put US first.’
A Republican insider said Trump’s staff is privately ‘furious’ over Musk’s statements, given his enormous following and reach.
Steve Bannon, a former top Trump aide who has had public falling outs with Musk in the past, told Politico Musk needed to be ‘sat down’ and told to ‘sort it out immediately.’
It has also exacerbated fears that Trump and Musk could be headed toward a monumental fallout which could spell drama for the new administration.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Vice President-elect JD Vance attend the 125th Army-Navy football game
Elon Musk travels with President-elect Donald Trump and his political entourageÂ
Elon Musk and his son attend dinner at Mar-a-Lago with President-elect Donald Trump
Musk is heading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with reducing government expenditure and improving productivity within the public service.
He’s also become a familiar face at Mar-a-Lago and, according to the publication, has been working out of the West Wing this week, despite assurances from the president that he will not be given his own office.
Musk revealed on Wednesday that he was with Trump in the Oval Office when he signed an executive order pardoning Ross Ulbricht.
Ulbricht, 40, was arrested in 2013 because the dark website he founded facilitated the sale of illicit drugs using cryptocurrency.Â
‘I was honored to be in the Oval Office tonight when @POTUS signed this,’ the Tesla founder wrote on X in response to the pardon.Â
In early 2015 Ulbricht was sentenced to two life terms in prison plus 40 years for drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering and computer hacking, operating under the pseudonym ‘Dread Pirate Roberts.’Â
Trump granted an unconditional pardon to Ulbricht, the creator of the notorious dark web page Silk Road, in honor of the ‘Libertarian Movement,’ while slamming the ‘scum’ who prosecuted him.
