DICIPHERING TRUMP’S UNACCOUNTABLE WRECKING BALL

Only a month ago, I wrote that the marriage between Elon Musk and MAGA could not last long. My reasoning was that for Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to succeed, cuts in the federal budget would also affect Trump supporters.  I was wrong, at least in the short term.

Trump and Musk have unleashed a tsunami against government employees that has so-far caused little economic burden on those who voted for the President. Most of the hardship is being inflicted on those who live inside or around the Washington D.C. beltway or on families associated with federal government elsewhere in the country. Of course, cuts to important agencies including the FAA, FEMA, NOAA, the Parks Service, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, and the removal of Federal Inspector Generals will eventually have dangerous, negative consequences for all Americans.

I decided to take a closer look at the unusual partnership between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The image of Trump and Musk, addressing the media in the oval office on February 11, was a bizarre spectacle.  Musk appeared in a black MAGA hat, long dark coat with his son perched on his shoulders. He did most of the talking while Trump sat silently, glowering at the assembled reporters.

The impromptu press conference was called for Musk to defend DOGE and its blitzkrieg of activities. This was the first time since the President gave him broad authority to terminate over 10 percent of the federal workforce (300,000+) that the world’s wealthiest man answered questions about the project.

Many political observers thought that Trump looked weak while Musk was basking in the media limelight. I thought this conclusion was ridiculous. Trump knew exactly what he was doing by signing an executive order requiring federal agency heads to coordinate with DOGE and fire employees. If Musk’s efforts succeed in bringing the deficit under control, the President will take the credit. If Musk fails, most of the blame will fall on him.

In support of my position, consider that Musk took the heavy fire from the media during the press conference. Ironically, Musk called the federal bureaucracy the “unelected” fourth branch of government, the exact description of his role with DOGE.

Musk was asked about his personal and business conflicts of interest. After all, his companies have billions of dollars’ worth of contracts with the federal government. His pat answer was that the media would keep a close eye on him and his network of businesses.  Since the press conference, Democrats and the media have attacked Musk as the unaccountable wrecking ball more than the President who has executive authority.

What I witnessed was not a weak President and a controlling, unelected genius. Instead, Catherine the Great of Russia, the reigning Emperess from 1762 through 1796 came to mind. Catherine, like Trump, was ruthless with uncommon political instincts. She was considered egotistical, pretentious, and domineering.

Catherine made Grigory Potemkin, her lover with proven military and administrative skills, the chief architect of Russian imperial policies. Potemkin was successful in the annexation of Crimea and in the second Russo-Turkish war. He failed in other areas like liberating the serfs. After the romantic liaison waned, Potemkin lost administrative power and was blamed for plans that failed.

Catherine remains an iconic Russian leader in the eyes of many Russians. Other than Russian historians, few remember Potemkin. Trump is following the same script as Catherine in letting a brilliant henchman perform much of his dirty work.

Many people are asking themselves, why would Musk, a former Democrat, agree to take on the hateful task of shrinking the bureaucracy, terminating valuable services, and causing unfathomable torment to thousands of federal employees. Musk has publicly spoken about his experience in growing up with Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that falls under the autism spectrum. He has explained that he thinks analytically about the future.  He is driven by a strong desire to solve large scale problems. He has a “maniacal” sense of urgency to push projects forward.

Walter Issacson recently wrote the definitive biography on Elon Musk. He concluded that, “Sometimes great innovators are risk-seeking man-children who resist potty training. They can be reckless, cringeworthy, sometimes even toxic. They can also be crazy. Crazy enough to think they can change the world."

Musk is not concerned with the shattered lives of tens of thousands of federal employees in this country or with the plight of starving US aid recipients across the globe. He is laser-focused on reigning in the deficit at any cost. He performed similar cuts and ruined the lives of many Twitter employees after purchasing the company in 2022.

Musk wants to develop a new paradigm for how limited government can work in a modern western democracy. Trump could not have chosen a better wrecking ball in an attempt to achieve this goal. Republican elected officials are willing to go along with the experiment, at least until their own voters are affected.

Musk is not afraid of taking the heat for mistakes. Dramatic failures have paralleled his remarkable successes throughout his career. He takes both in stride. 

Trump is delighted to assign the details for shrinking the government to Musk. The President’s focus is darker and much easier to understand: reward those who supported him in his quest to remain in the White House; seek retribution against anyone who sought to bring him to justice.