- The global community was aghast at the way Donald Trump’s Presidential campaign to the most powerful office in the world took off with the active backing of the richest person in the world, namely Elon Musk. The entire campaign saw not only the active participation of Elon Musk but also generous funding from the business magnate, ensuring Donald Trump’s bid to reclaim the presidency sailed as smoothly as possible. Of course, the campaigning also saw both pitching in with promises of ushering in reforms, especially tariffs, and a considerable reduction in the government spending on what they construed as unnecessary federal expenses. We know how the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) took shape under the stewardship of Musk.
PC: PCMag
- Of late, the veneer of bromance between the two equally strong personalities appears to have worn away, owing to differences cropping up. People closely following the Trump administration’s performance over the last few months would have noticed how things are not working out the way they envisaged during the early days of governance. The way the bromance between the two mavericks panned out in the last few days would leave no doubt whatsoever that the short-lived honeymoon has definitely come to an end. No surprises there. Remember how DOGE was supposed to be permeating all government departments as a way of life. But the relationship has soured overnight, with the media all over the world flashing the news of the break.
PC: RNZ
- Social media platforms are abuzz with all sorts of memes, puns, trolls, and humour, highlighting how the once so strong relationship has gone downhill in a matter of days. The tweets from Musk’s own X platform have been scathing, as is the Truth Social of Trump’s, giving ample grist to the global community to talk about. What went so wrong, though? Pundits say male friendships lack the emotional sharing that enriches female friendships, but traverse long distances by staying anchored in shared activities. Mind you, male friend groups also tend to be more hierarchical. For instance, like Plato was a pupil of Socrates. Or the captain centring the neighbourhood cricket team. So, it comes down to boys being boys. Musk and Trump are figuring out who is the dom.
PC: The Hill
- Make no mistake, the marriage of convenience between the president and the quintessentially business-minded individual has reasons to de-escalate the apparent differences for their own good. Musk doesn’t want the tanking stock prices. On the other hand, Trump wants the algorithm to keep spinning his politics. The stench of Epstein-related secrets is also in the air. Like the most modish of modern relationships, the play is all in the public gaze. The Big Beautiful Bill versus the big beautiful relationship is the talk of the whole world, with two egotistic individuals fighting for one-upmanship. Musk has already scaled down from his earlier innuendos, so is Trump in subsequent tweets. Neither doesn’t wish to indulge in self-destruction, you see.
, has deteriorated into a public feud. The breakdown appears to stem from a power struggle between the two strong personalities, with both engaging in social media attacks while potentially seeking to de-escalate for their mutual benefit.){kind=link}