Donald Trump mocked Elon Musk during his first meeting with Republican lawmakers as president-elect.
Need to Feel Superior
The billionaire, who donated at least $75 million to Trump’s campaign, has reportedly been spending a significant amount of time at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
“Elon doesn’t leave. I can’t get rid of him,” Trump said on Wednesday.
He added: “At least until I decide I don’t like him anymore.”
The remark drew laughter from the audience, but MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell suggested the joke was Trump’s way of asserting dominance over Musk, according to Hotnews.
O’Donnell said the laughter was awkward. “
They laugh when Trump jokes about someone on his team. It’s a laugh that acknowledges the joke is true, even when it paints the person as pathetic. It’s all part of Trump’s need to feel superior,” O’Donnell said.
Musks New Role
Trump also announced that Musk would co-lead a new Department for Government Efficiency alongside Vivek Ramaswamy.
This informal agency will focus on reducing government waste and bureaucracy. It will work outside of traditional government structures but collaborate with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget.
Critics are skeptical of Musk’s qualifications for the role. Lisa Gilbert, co-president of progressive advocacy group Public Citizen, called the appointment “corporate corruption.”
She argued that Musk’s own businesses have violated many of the regulations he would now influence.
Others, like analyst Daniel Ives from Wedbush Securities, believe Musk’s influence in Trump’s administration will be significant. Ives said Musk’s role could extend to multiple federal agencies.
O’Donnell dismissed Musk’s new position as largely symbolic. He said Musk’s influence would be no greater than that of a lobbyist.
