The spectacular rupture occurred Thursday between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk marks the end of a precarious alliance between two of the most powerful men in the world. In light of the resources available to each, their argument could have considerable consequences if it is eterning or intensifying. Here are eight examples.
What Elon Musk could do
– Use his billions against Trump, his allies and his program. After spending more than 250 million US in the president’s electoral campaign, Mr. Musk could just as easily finance anti-republican campaigns. According to him, the Trump’s internal policy bill is a “disgusting abomination” and he attacked the republicans of the congress on his X platform on Thursday.
– Use social networks as a source of irritation. Thursday afternoon, Mr. Musk published a survey on X asking if it was time to create a new political party “really representing 80 % of the center”. Friday noon, more than 80 % of the 2 million respondents had checked yes. And in response to a message suggesting that “Trump should be dismissed”, Elon Musk replied yes. (It was not quite clear if he agreed with the dismissal or another part of the message.)
– Train Mr. Trump into controversies. After being close to the president for months, Mr. Musk could cause him trouble by saying he had privileged information. Thursday, without offering evidence, he said that the Trump administration was dragging his feet to publish the investigation file on Jeffrey Epstein because the name of Donald Trump appears there. “Remember this publication for posterity,” he wrote. “The truth will burst. The Democrats jumped on this issue.
– Use your companies to hinder the administration. Mr. Musk wrote that he would “immediately” put the spaceship out of service Dragon From SpaceX, which goes back and forth to the international space station, transporting astronauts and supplies for NASA. This threat prompted Steve Bannon, ally of Mr. Trump and Enemy of Mr. Musk, to suggest that the president “seized SpaceX (Thursday) evening before midnight” by a decree. Late Thursday, in response to an X user who called for calm, Mr. Musk wrote: “Good advice. Ok, we will not put Dragon out of service. »»
Photo Haiyun Jiang, Archives The New York Times
Elon Musk and Donald Trump during a rally in Washington, on January 19, on the eve of the president’s inauguration ceremony
What Donald Trump could do
– Cancel contracts with Mr. Musk’s companies. On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that putting an end to government contracts with SpaceX and Tesla and the other Firms of Mr. Musk would be “the easiest way to save money in our budget”. In 2024, Musk’s companies were promised 3 billion US as part of a hundred contracts with 17 government agencies.
– Investigate the immigrant status of M. Musk and his consumption of drugs. Steve Bannon called on Thursday to an “official investigation into his immigrant status, because (he is) intimately convinced that he is a foreigner in an irregular situation, and that he should be expelled from the country immediately”. Mr. Musk is a naturalized American citizen who was born in South Africa. Mr. Bannon also requests an investigation into the use of drugs by Elon Musk and his efforts to obtain brews on secret information secret on military planning towards China.
Photo Demetrius Freeman, Archives The Washington Post
Donald Trump chatting with Elon Musk in the oval office of the White House, last March
– Revoke Mr. Musk’s security rating. Mr. Bannon proposes to withdraw from Mr. Musk his confidentiality rating during the surveys he claims about him. But Donald Trump could also revoke all the security authorizations enjoyed by Musk in the context of SpaceX government contracts with NASA. The richest man in the world could hardly continue to work with the government.
– Use the presidential powers against Mr. Musk. The president has a huge range of powers. He could sign decrees to punish this new political adversary and order the Department of Justice to open investigations. It could end certain projects to which Mr. Musk holds, such as the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) or reception as refugees from South Africans white, one of his priorities.
This article was published in the New York Times.
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