President Donald Trump's circle is reportedly becoming worried — even arguing amongst themselves — over whether tech billionaire Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency task force have amassed too much power.
Musk's DOGE entity has taken over massive portions of the federal government's technology stack, with a handful of young, allied software engineers seizing control of the Treasury Department's payment system, and even the systems that manage Medicare and Medicaid. This comes as the federal government gears up for massive firings and pseudo-buyout schemes that resemble those Musk enacted when he took over the Twitter platform, since rebranded X.
And according to Wired, some people in Trump's orbit are becoming concerned.
“There could be a collision course coming here at some point,” a MAGA Republican operative who's close with Trump told Wired when asked if Trumpworld could be poised for a blow-up. “He’s getting too big for his breeches.”
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Since Trump was sworn in, "a fissure has begun to emerge following Musk’s DOGE takeover of the US government, according to a half-dozen Trump loyalist Republican aides and advisers inside and around the administration," reported Jake Lahut. Trump himself is still fully on board with what Musk is doing, these people said, but according to one source, “I think it’s more the staff who have an issue with Elon."
This comes as lawmakers have spoken out about Trump's unelected influence on the government, and crowds of protesters have begun to descend on federal buildings where the "DOGE" team is working on infiltrating the federal government's codebase. It also comes as Trump, maybe sensing the tension and political risk, announced this week that Musk "won't do anything without our approval."
The tension, however, has simmered for longer.
Toward the end of last year, several MAGA activists, including far-right failed congressional candidate Laura Loomer and longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon, began openly speaking out against Musk, driven in part by his perceived influence in persuading Trump to continue supporting visas for high-skilled foreign workers.