Billionaire Elon Musk's decreasing popularity, both personally and as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has Republicans sweating and Democrats gleeful, reports the New York Times.
With Musk and his staffers running roughshod over the U.S. government as they gut popular programs and fire tens of thousands of federal workers, there are growing concerns among GOP lawmakers that Donald Trump has unleashed a monster that could destroy its creator and take them out as well.
As the Times' Jess Bidgood and Lisa Lerer wrote, across the board Republicans are beginning to "sweat" that Musk is going too far with even GOP lawmakers in deep red states expressing trepidation and exasperation.
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The report notes, "Mr. Musk’s support for Mr. Trump — which came with close to $300 million in financial backing — may well have helped him win the presidency. But their unusual governing arrangement is opening Republicans to being yoked politically not just to Mr. Trump, but also to Mr. Musk, as his Department of Government Efficiency pushes for what could prove to be unpopular cuts to federal programs and government jobs."
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) admitted her office is fielding a flood of concerned calls from constituents about the DOGE doings, with the senator telling the Times, "In my state, it’s always about jobs and the economy. And anytime anybody loses a job, it has political risk for whoever’s in power, there’s no doubt.”
According to the Times, Democrats have every intention of making the increasingly unpopular Musk the face of the party in power.
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) explained, "It’s an easy story: Elon Musk and the billionaires have taken over government to steal from the American people to enrich themselves. That’s the message. It’s true, it’s persuasive, and if we repeat it over and over again, they won’t win.”
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) expressed alarm at Musk now sticking his nose in budget talks.
“Everybody, particularly Elon, needs to take into account how unproductive it is,” he lamented with the Times report adding, "There are some indications that Mr. Trump himself could be moving to rein in Mr. Musk. Though he showered him with praise during his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, Mr. Trump on Thursday said that his cabinet secretaries, not Mr. Musk, had the authority to carry out cuts."
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