Musk on the Political Sidelines? ... "No Longer a Leading Presence"

Signs of Strain Between Musk and President Trump Since Early This Month
Defense Briefing Canceled, Attempts to Influence Appointments Thwarted

There is growing analysis that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, once considered the "First Buddy" of President Donald Trump during his second administration, has seen his influence wane compared to before.

Elon Musk Tesla Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Donald Trump President of the United States (right). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

On April 19 (local time), major media outlets including The New York Times (NYT) reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Besant had appointed Michael Fokender, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, as Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service the previous day. Just three days earlier, Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had installed Gary Shapley as Acting IRS Commissioner through the White House, but Shapley was removed from the position after only three days.

NYT, citing anonymous sources, reported that Secretary Besant, dissatisfied with Musk's intervention in personnel appointments at agencies under the Treasury Department, persuaded President Trump to overturn Musk's appointment.

Musk has continued to attack Secretary Besant online. On April 17, Musk replied in agreement to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Laura Loomer, a far-right agitator, criticizing Secretary Besant. Loomer accused Besant of collaborating with financial industry figures who have opposed President Trump, claiming that he had "put President Trump in danger." Musk shared this post, adding the comment "Troubling."

Foreign media also pointed out that "Musk has suffered a series of setbacks in the White House over the past few weeks." Efforts by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to cut federal agency spending have been progressing more slowly than expected due to a lack of cooperation from some departments and agencies. In addition, earlier this month, a conservative candidate backed by Musk lost in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, and the blame was directed at Musk.

On March 21, there were media reports that Musk had attempted to visit the Department of Defense to receive a briefing on operational plans in the event of a war with China, but the visit was canceled by President Trump's order. At last week's White House cabinet meeting, Musk's role was limited to a brief opening remark, in contrast to his near-dominance at his first cabinet meeting, according to foreign media. NYT noted, "While Musk's influence in the early days of the Trump administration seemed limitless, a series of recent events has raised questions about his influence within the White House."

Musk has not given any media interviews for several weeks, and his activity on X, which he owns, has also diminished. Foreign media commented, "The billionaire, usually known for his leading-man energy, has not been seen in that light as often lately."

Some believe that signs of tension between Musk and President Trump had already emerged. On April 5, Musk criticized Peter Navarro, White House trade and manufacturing adviser who explained President Trump's tariff policy on X, saying, "That guy has never made anything right."

On the same day, Musk attended a virtual conference hosted by Italy's far-right party in Florence, where he expressed hope that the European Union (EU) would move toward a zero-tariff situation. This came just three days after President Trump announced a 20% reciprocal tariff on the EU. Around the same time, Trump instructed his chief of staff to better manage Musk and even mentioned that "Musk should eventually return to running his electric car company Tesla and space company SpaceX," indicating Musk's possible departure.

However, Musk's political role has not disappeared immediately. Much of the role assigned to him still remains, and foreign media reported that President Trump continues to speak warmly of Musk in private, expressing deep gratitude for Musk's endurance of attacks on Tesla and his continued cooperation with the president.