From Mar-a-Lago to marginalized: Elon Musk's political retreat

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
26 May 2025 14:09

Elon Musk’s shrinking political influence is drawing attention as internal backlash, failed investments, and policy chaos reshape his role in Washington and the Republican Party.

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Elon Musk speaks at a town hall on March 30, 2025, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP)

Once a dominant presence in Donald Trump’s political sphere, Elon Musk is now fading from view, a shift underscored by a piece in The Guardian, which highlights the cooling of ties between the billionaire and the US president.

Despite maintaining access to high-level venues like the White House and making a recent return visit to the Pentagon, Musk’s influence within Trump’s inner circle has diminished significantly, marking a quiet but deliberate retreat from the center of power.

A recent Politico report titled “Why has Elon Musk disappeared from the spotlight?” also highlighted this shift, noting that Trump’s mentions of Musk on Truth Social dropped from four times a week in early 2025 to zero since April. Fundraising emails, once eager to highlight Musk’s support, have also stopped, save for a single message promoting merchandise.

In the early months of Trump’s second term, Musk was a key figure in Washington. He joined Trump in the Oval Office, showcased Teslas on the White House lawn, and committed to ambitious federal reforms through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). At one point, Trump publicly praised Musk and even hinted at buying a Tesla himself.

But the dynamic has changed. Musk has now reduced his role at DOGE to just two days a week and announced a significant cut to his political donations, an unmistakable retreat from his earlier influence.

Public perception of Musk’s political role has turned sharply negative. A Marquette University Law School poll showed that only 38% of Americans view him favorably, while 60% hold an unfavorable opinion. His political influence has also weakened: just 41% approved of his work at DOE, with 58% disapproving.

Congressperson Ro Khanna, a longtime acquaintance of Musk, described the dynamic bluntly, “As his numbers declined, so did Trump’s interest. Trump discards people when their ratings fall.” Khanna predicted Musk’s Washington stint wouldn’t last five months. “He’s going to get frustrated, exhausted, and Washington will win,” he said.

Doge’s federal cuts spark operational chaos

Musk’s ambitions to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget have fallen short, with actual reductions amounting to just $81 billion. Still, the Musk DOGE government role has had a lasting impact. A federal court recently ruled that DOGE's dismissal of staff at the US Institute of Peace was unlawful. Another court in San Francisco blocked Trump from enacting a broader government overhaul without congressional approval.

What happens when you let billionaires run your country like a startup? You get mass layoffs, lawsuits, and no product launch.#DOGE #UnitedStates pic.twitter.com/6SOUEpu8xa
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 6, 2025

Critical agencies, including FEMA, USAID, the NIH, and the EPA, have seen their operations severely disrupted. CNN reports FEMA is underprepared for hurricane season after losing nearly 30% of its staff due to DOGE-led layoffs. Internal audits cite major readiness concerns.

“We’re going to be living with the consequences for years to come,” Khanna warned. “They’ve managed to totally destroy USAID... and it’s going to take a generation to rebuild.”

Musk’s involvement in Republican politics has also triggered a Tesla political backlash. The brand has lost market share, and Tesla showrooms have become protest sites globally, particularly after Musk publicly supported Germany’s far-right AfD party.

Wisconsin's defeat marks a tipping point for Musk

The breaking point may have come in Wisconsin. Musk invested over $3 million in a state Supreme Court race, the most expensive in the US history, and campaigned in person wearing a cheesehead hat. His candidate lost by 10 points and Democrats successfully framed the contest as “People vs. Musk.”

Reflecting on the defeat, Musk told the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, “In terms of political spending, I’m going to do a lot less in the future.”

With Musk increasingly viewed as a liability ahead of the 2026 midterms, Republican distancing from Musk has grown more visible. GOP strategist Rick Tyler noted, “The polling numbers, Trump suffering politically, which would hurt his party... caused enough strife that I’m sure he heard from enough members to say, could we just not talk about Elon Musk any more?”

Political scientist Wendy Schiller added, “They used him as the front person and the punching bag. When it backfired, they cut him loose. If you become a liability, you’re gone pretty quickly.”