Who is actually in charge of USA? Donald Trump or Elon Musk?

22 Views

The relationship between United States President Donald Trump and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has created an intriguing dynamic.

Musk’s emergence in the political sphere has arguably helped Trump win his second term as president. The 78-year-old politician and businessman assumed office as the 47th president of the United States on 20, January 2025.

Although Musk has not always been a supporter of Trump—before the 2016 presidential election, he donated to Hillary Clinton and later stated that he voted for her.

Elon Musk has been vocal about Donald Trump’s presidency

In November 2016, Musk criticised Trump in an interview with CNBC, stating that he was “not the right guy.” His stance changed over time.

After Trump lost the 2020 election, he expressed his discontent with the results on X (formerly Twitter). In January 2021, X permanently suspended Trump’s account, citing violations of the platform’s Glorification of Violence guidelines.

Following Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X) in October 2022, he reinstated Donald Trump’s account, marking the beginning of their “bromance.” Musk played a crucial role over the next two years in helping the 78-year-old secure his presidential election victory.

Upon Trump officially taking office, the White House announced that Elon Musk would serve as a special government employee, overseeing the newly established Department of Government Efficiency. Musk has since referred to himself as the “first buddy” of the US president. His influence during Donald Trump’s second presidency has led some to label him as the “actual president,” “shadow president,” or even “co-president.”