The Bulwark’s Editor at Large, William Kristol is warning Democrats, do not welcome back Elon Musk, “It’s a trap.”
His thoughts come on the heels of the Tesla CEO calling on Republicans to not vote in favor of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
“Should the big-tent, anti-Trump coalition welcome him in?” Kristol asked rhetorically. “Should Democrats—who need allies where they can get them—be quoting Musk, even if disingenuously, as a reliable oracle on public policy?”
“No,” the Editor at Large said.
“The trouble is that Musk really is a chainsaw-wielding, bureaucracy-breaking villain,” Kristol said. “He’s done immeasurable damage to our government,” and Kristol noted that damage “lives on after him.”
Giving a broad look at Musk, Kristol said, “he’s a thoroughgoing enemy of liberal democracy, a backer and promoter of authoritarian parties ranging from Trump’s GOP to Germany’s AfD.”
Perhaps most important to Kristol, “the American people don’t like Elon Musk. Polls show him with an average approval rating of 40 percent favorable to 54 percent unfavorable.”
“It may well be enjoyable (if not productive) for Democrats to try and sow division within the MAGA ranks,” the Editor at Large remarked. “Certainly, Musk’s opposition to the budget bill can be used politically in targeted ways to make life more difficult for some Republican senators and congressmen in their states and districts.”
Looking to 2026 and beyond, Kristol said, “But Musk won’t help Democrats with swing voters in marginal districts or competitive states. And he’s little help as a national messenger.”
Kristol noted Democrats don't need Musk to criticize the House spending bill. “The reconciliation bill is a political opportunity for Democrats. But the allure of featuring Musk as a key voice in the fight is at best a distraction—at worst, it’s a trap.”
“Sometimes the enemy of your enemy can be a useful friend. But sometimes the enemy of your enemy is just another jackass.”
