2024-11-15 23:50:00
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Black cap on his head, Elon Musk praised during the electoral campaign his new membership in the Donald Trump movement. “I’m not just MAGA. I am dark MAGA,” he said with a stuck smile. Since Trump won his election, he has become the most powerful non-elect in the United States government. The advent of this free electron in politics risks causing a shock wave throughout the American Administration.
The bet was risky. Between $100 million and $200 million was placed on the table in a fund intended to help Trump win Pennsylvania, according to US media, and more than 11 million doors were knocked across the country thanks to this funding.
Bet successful. Tesla’s stock market value jumped about 27% in the ten days following the election. The value of the bitcoin and doge cryptocurrencies, which Musk owns in quantity, has skyrocketed, enough to amply restore the value of his stake to the billionaire.
The billionaire wasted no time in taking advantage of his renewed popularity on the stock market, the Financial Times. At least two of his companies, the aerospace company SpaceX and the artificial intelligence startup xAI, have quickly carried out new stock sales, at prices much higher than would have been possible just a few months ago.
His gains could only just begin. The president-elect entrusted him with the role of “chief cutter” by appointing him to head the “Department of Government Efficiency”. This department is not official and the acronym “DOGE” refers to the Shiba Inu dog meme with naive and deconstructed remarks. The goal is clear, however, Donald Trump said in a written statement Tuesday: “Dismantle the government bureaucracy. »
“At least” $2,000 billion could be cut from the total US budget of $6,750 billion, Musk estimated during the election campaign.
If the past is any guide to the future, the anticipated cuts will be dizzying. When he acquired Tesla, he cut 20% of the workforce. For Twitter, he reduced the number of employees by 75%.
The method was brutal and “without any empathy”, adds in an interview to Duty Boris Manenti, the author of the biography of Elon Musk The barker. Simple emails would have ended the careers of thousands of workers.
Those who remained in office received a second email with the subject: “Ultra hardcore “. Working for Musk means having to “prepare to work at a greater level of intensity than most of you have ever experienced before,” warned the boss in information relayed by the Wall Street Journal.
The tone is the same for this new mandate. Elon Musk is looking for “high-IQ, small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours a week on not-so-good cost reductions.” glamour “, he wrote on X.
And ” hardcore » is the watchword, “discretion” is also required. It’s better not to be known by the big boss to avoid incurring his wrath, says Boris Manenti, head of the Economy Department of the New ObsIn France. “There are several stories like that. Since he can exhibit erratic and unpredictable behavior, several people internally take initiatives, but as discreetly as possible. Sometimes he wants to do something and the next day does the opposite. »
Conflict of interest in sight
Even before Elon Musk entered politics, his companies were profiting greatly from the public purse. Last year alone, they benefited from contracts worth $3 billion with the US government. There is no doubt that this amount will increase in the coming years.
Already, SpaceX is a must in the galaxy of NASA subcontractors. The South African billionaire slipped during the electoral campaign that this American space agency did not need new space capsules… while his competitor Boeing was in the process of designing said capsule.
Musk also won the jackpot for his range of electric vehicles. This technology promoted by the Democrats was frowned upon by the other camp. Trump has long described any support for this automobile industry as “madness” before making an about-face this summer. “I am for electric cars. I must be, because Elon strongly supported me,” he changed his mind in a U-turn typical of his attitude as a transactional president.
His role, comparable to that of a “super-advisor”, could also allow him to put aside the mistakes of his companies. Between the failing security of Tesla vehicles and the environmental damage caused by SpaceX rockets, around twenty federal investigations are currently looking into the problems with Musk-branded products.
“He has the power to sort of stop these investigations.” He wants to recover freedoms… Freedoms, he says it,” underlines Boris Manenti.
At the next chicane
Musk has interests all over the world, from Qatar to China, where he built one of the largest Tesla factories on the planet. A big question mark hangs over the influence of these private puzzle pieces on the future decisions of the president-elect.
We already see it everywhere. He was at the president’s table on election night. He poses with Trump on his golf course. It is part of the discussion between the American president and his Ukrainian, Turkish counterparts, or the Iranian ambassadors. On his favorite social network, Musk even boasts of being “the first friend”[[first buddy]of the president-elect.
It’s hard to estimate the extent of the changes that this tycoon with a managerial style described as “completely erratic” will cause. Even the time change could be affected. Musk commented with a simple, but assured “yes” to the question of a user who invited him to abolish Eastern Time.
Elon Musk’s supragovernmental mandate must “conclude no later than July 4, 2026”, warned Donald Trump when appointing him as head of “DOGE”, just in time for the 250th anniversary of American independence .
This marriage could end sooner, if past experiences are anything to go by. Musk served as Trump’s advisor in 2017…and it ended badly because of the president’s refusal to “believe” in global warming. Reconciled since this summer, how long will the understanding last between these two oversized egos, each with their unpredictable characters?
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That “time management is a myth,” suggesting a potential shift in how governmental operations prioritize schedules and deadlines under his influence. Observers worry that this could lead to chaotic decision-making processes, especially given Musk’s reputation for impulsivity and unpredictability.
Moreover, his dual role as a political figure and a billionaire business owner raises profound ethical concerns. Analysts are beginning to question whether Musk will use his influence over government decisions to benefit his own companies further, potentially leading to a conflict of interest that could undermine regulatory fairness.
The transformation that Musk may bring to the political landscape also reflects a broader trend in which business leaders are increasingly stepping into political roles, blurring the lines between corporate and governmental power. Critics argue that this could set a dangerous precedent where economic interests dictate public policy, rather than the will of the electorate.
As the nation watches closely, the initial actions of Musk in his unofficial role will likely set the tone for his influence in the forthcoming term. Will he prioritize the efficiency cuts as he promised, or will his unpredictable nature lead to a series of decisions that could impact millions? Only time will reveal the true extent of this new power dynamic in American politics.
