Noting that at least two egos in that Oval Office are roughly the size of the edifices on Mount Rushmore, it was reasonably clear to me that the White House bromance between President Donald J. Trump, and entrepreneur Elon Musk could not last. That said, I did not expect the break-up to play out like watching an episode of "The Real Housewives..."
With the President’s agenda and "The Big Beautiful Bill" hanging precariously in the balance on the Senate side of Capitol Hill, it would also seem an odd time to create GOP intra-party division. The biggest surprise so far might be hearing far-right activist Laura Loomer as a voice of reason saying...“Guys...take it offline.”
Musk and SpaceX and other corporate entities have billions in current and future contracts with NASA, the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. Musk is a smart man, and certainly he has noted by now that the President has a long memory and that if you take a swing at the king, he will most certainly strike back.
Trump had a decisive White House win, and the GOP captured majorities in both chambers of Congress, but particularly in the seven battleground states, resources and funding by Musk’s Super Pac (totaling roughly $250-million), identified and activated key voting blocs, receptive to the Trump campaign’s messages and in many cases decades long inactive voters. Activating thousands of Amish men in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was critical in Trump’s win of the Keystone State and its electoral votes.
Those voters also closed the gap and brought wins in several ‘purple’ swing districts for the GOP.
Yet Trump needs a budget and enabling legislation to enact his agenda, it can’t all be done with bluster, tariffs and executive orders. Musk’s dream of moving man to Mars and maintaining dominance in private space exploration requires at least a complacent White House. Both men, despite their respective flaws, still need the other.
Conversely, a harsh divorce can create some long lasting wounds and scars. I know from the collapse of my own marriage that there were words exchanged and things said in the heat of the moment, by me and the mother of my first born, which still sting. Given the opportunity of a Way-Back machine, I would make better choices, in hopes of facilitating a softer landing, and end to that union.
A lesson learned from that same daughter, more mature than I was at the same age, in her nearing 10-year marriage and 12-year union...is when tempers or emotions begin to flare...pause, step back and offer an act of love. Park the fight, before it begins, and when heads are later clear, return to the topic in a time of calm. My daughter and son-in-law turned this into a practice of offering a favorite treat or sandwich to their partner, or to my son in law a shot of a favored bourbon or another evening cocktail. Crisis and smackdown averted...
But in our Commander in Chief, and one of the world’s richest men (until the recent cratering of Tesla stock) we have two narcissists, who have trouble receiving criticism and a need to immediately respond to any attack, real or perceived. However, with the U.S. budget and domestic and international credibility on the line, these two powerhouses don’t need to make this play out like a D.C. version of "Brokeback Mountain."
Take it offline, meet up at Camp David, hash out some compromise, end with a bro hug and step back to your respective corners and strong suits. Trump will need Musk’s checkbook in the midterms. The Harris campaign outspent Trump, the GOP and aligned Super Pacs by 1.5 to 1 in their unsuccessful campaign of 2024. Midterms are almost always difficult for the party in power, and in the 2026 case, that will be the GOP.
The Harris campaign promised new spending and programs, as priced out by the Congressional Budget Office totaling $3.5 trillion in more deficit spending. Like him or loathe him, in its current form, The Big Beautiful Bill is not far off that number of projected deficits, coming from making the Trump tax cuts permanent, and shallower spending cuts than on the wish list of many conservatives. Musk has a point.
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