trump-musk-bromance-was-meant-to-end-but-what-s-next

Money can’t buy you everything; at least not a say in the power corridors of the Oval Office and who knows this better than Elon Musk. The multi-hyphenate who made an empire out of cars, satellites and rocket ships, ended his stint with the Trump administration earlier this week. However, those in the inner circles of politics and power corridors of the Oval Office long saw this coming — the unsustainability of the Musk-Trump relationship. Both have been known for their grandiose statements, mercurial personalities and ever-changing stances. Not to forget, both are chaotically driven. 

 

Eventually, it happened. Last week, Musk announced that he was ending his stint as the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) head which was tasked with cutting federal spending. The development came as no surprise to many in the political circles.

 

It’s only history repeating itself

 

It was only history repeating itself where Musk had once called Trump unfit to run for presidency. “I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy. He doesn’t seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States,” the billionaire techie had made the statement in a televised interview in 2016. Cut to eight years later, Musk became by far the largest donor in the 2024 US presidential campaign, backing Trump.

 

On the other side, in 2022, Trump changed his stance about Musk more than a couple of times, at one point calling him “great geniuses” and likening him to “Thomas Edison” and by July, terming him a con artist. Is it any wonder that the on-again, off-again “bromance” between Trump and Musk has always been a favourite of the tabloids?

 

Fast forward to 2023, Musk publicly began aligning with almost all of Trump’s policies, be it immigration or favouring a US border wall with Mexico. Then in 2024, Musk made his first public appearance with Trump in Pennsylvania, while bouncing euphorically on stage as Trump delivered his campaign speech. The symbolism of a black “Make America Great Again” was not lost on anyone as he shouted out to the cheering crowds — “As you can see, I’m not just MAGA, I’m dark MAGA.”

 

Media scrutiny, admiration, ridicule, a flood of memes, they all followed. Musk became a fixture at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida, his loudest cheerleader pumping in more than excited shrieks and roughly $250-$300 million into his election campaign; earning for himself the title of First Buddy or “President Musk” in editorials, memes and tabloids alike.

 

The signs were there

 

 

The tell-tale signs of frayed inner seams became more apparent when Musk’s rival firm OpenAI secured a high profile AI deal in the Middle East during Trump’s visit. After every single development, the predictions of how the “break-up” is coming became louder and stronger.

 

Musk lamenting over how much time he spent on politics and campaigning instead of paying attention to his business is one of the significant reasons behind the decision to leave. Musk’s companies came under scrutiny, global protests and lawsuits mounted and calls for Tesla boycott grew louder. As a result, there’s no denying the sales plummeted to their lowest in a decade. But his inability to get along well with or align with the Trump cabinet is believed to be the major reason.

 

After Trump announced his sweeping US tariffs, deeply affecting largest trading partners China, and EU, Musk unsuccessfully made the case for a free-trade zone. The development prompted a verbal ugly spat between Musk and Trump’s economic adviser Peter Navarro who is a staunch advocate for trade barriers. 

 

Navarro taking an aim at Tesla, saying that the company sourced its components from Asian factories, only prompted Musk to call Navarro, “dumber than a sack of bricks.” So public became the spat that questions were even fielded to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt who brushed it off as, “boys will be boys.”

 

The fatal blow, as is widely known, came in the form of “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” which is likely to increase the deficit and directly undermine the work of DOGE. Musk called the massive spending bill “disappointing” and shortly afterwards quit his US government role, once again sparking off a flood of insensitive, sometimes apt, memes.

 

“Their relationship has ticked off all the boxes of a high school friendship timeline. From exchanging insults to being inseparable to now frenemies,” ran a highly liked comment against the news.

 

But what did Elon Musk get from his stint with DOGE? What’s next for the ever restless and perpetually driven Tesla billionaire? Very few believe that he is actually distancing himself from the power corridors, his resignation is more symbolic and to free him from the obligations of an office. 

 

Musk walks away with a sensitive database?

 

At the end of a 130-day stint with the government, cited by the Trump administration as “scheduled” time, Musk walks away with more than meets the eye.

 

 

For one, multiple lawsuits and several senate Democrats have raised concerns about DOGE amassing sensitive government data. Multiple federal judges have voiced similar concerns and asked as to what DOGE planned to do with the database it has accessed.

 

Many of Musk’s loyalists are embedded across federal agencies as full-time employees, thereby pushing Musk’s and DOGE’S reach beyond just an executive branch of the government. In the joint press conference, President Trump said Musk “was not really leaving and will continue to be back and forth to the White House.” It is very likely, although given the unpredictable nature of their temperaments and talents, it raises far more brows and many more questions.