Members of Donald Trump’s inner circle reportedly fear that the former president may be losing his influence over Elon Musk, referred to as the “First Buddy,” after the billionaire publicly criticized Trump’s signature AI initiative.
Musk, the founder of Tesla, has enjoyed exceptional access to Trump, both during the 2024 campaign and since his election victory, including a meeting inside the Oval Office on Tuesday during the signing of executive orders.
However, MAGA insiders have expressed concerns to Politico that Musk’s recent actions, including his criticism of a $500 billion AI investment that Trump described as “monumental” and “tremendous,” may signal a growing tendency for the billionaire to act independently.
An insider reportedly stated, “The problem is the president doesn’t have any leverage over Elon, and he gives zero f**ks. It’s clear he has abused his proximity to the president.”
Earlier this week, Trump appeared alongside Elon Musk’s rival, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Larry Ellison of Oracle, and Masayoshi Son of SoftBank to promote a $500 billion AI investment in the United States. Musk was notably absent from the event and later took to his social media platform, X, to criticize the initiative, stating, “They don’t actually have the money. SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.”
Elon Musk escalated tensions by calling Sam Altman a “swindler” and a “liar” and sharing a post highlighting Altman’s reaction to Trump’s 2020 election loss.
When asked about Musk’s criticism, Trump dismissed any concerns, attributing Musk’s dissent to his personal disdain for one of the individuals involved in the AI initiative. “They are putting up the money,” Trump stated, adding, “The government’s not putting up anything. They’re very rich people, so I hope they do. And, I mean, Elon doesn’t like one of those people.”
Altman responded on X, saying, “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 the US first.”
A Republican insider revealed that Trump’s staff is privately “furious” over Musk’s statements, citing his immense influence and following. Former Trump aide Steve Bannon, who has had public disputes with Musk in the past, told Politico that Musk needed to be “sat down” and told to “sort it out immediately.”
These developments have heightened concerns over a potential fallout between Trump and Musk, a scenario that could lead to significant challenges for the new administration.
Elon Musk currently heads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, a role aimed at reducing government expenditures and enhancing public sector productivity. Musk has also become a regular presence at Mar-a-Lago and, according to reports, has been working from the West Wing this week, despite Trump’s assurances that Musk would not be assigned a formal office.
On Wednesday, Musk disclosed that he was present in the Oval Office when Trump signed an executive order pardoning Ross Ulbricht. “I was honored to be in the Oval Office tonight when @POTUS signed this,” Musk wrote on X, referencing the pardon.
Ulbricht, 40, was arrested in 2013 for founding Silk Road, a dark web platform that facilitated the sale of illicit drugs using cryptocurrency. Operating under the alias “Dread Pirate Roberts,” Ulbricht was sentenced in 2015 to two life terms plus 40 years for drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and computer hacking.
Trump granted Ulbricht an unconditional pardon, framing it as a nod to the “Libertarian Movement” while denouncing the prosecutors involved as “scum.”#newsafro_
