The U.S. government avoided a shutdown yesterday, but the chaos is not just the usual political mess. At the center of it all is Elon Musk. The billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is now a political disruptor as well as a technology icon.

His deep support for President Donald Trump and his economic policies has turned him into an un-elected power broker, and people are wondering: is this billionaire trying to help America or protect his empire by sacrificing the economy?

Elon has thrown $277 million at Trump and his Republican allies. Of that, $239 million was funneled through Elon’s America PAC, making him the largest donor of the 2024 election cycle. For a man who once claimed he wouldn’t support any candidate, Elon has not only changed but has gone all in.

By August, he had rallied voters at Trump’s campaign events, calling the election "the most important election of your lifetime" and urging hundreds of millions to take action. According to him, his breakthrough was the WOKE culture stemming from the Democratic party.

Elon’s role in Trump’s economic revolution

Trump’s economic policies are as divisive as his tweets, with Elon’s fingerprints all over them. Let’s talk tariffs. Trump wants to impose tariffs of 10% to 20% to boost American manufacturing. He also wants to impose a 100% tax on BRICS countries if they dare abandon the U.S. dollar.

Sounds patriotic, right? Economists aren't impressed. They predict these tariffs will drive consumer prices up without creating jobs as Trump promised.

Then there’s the immigration plan: mass deportations. Trump wants millions of undocumented immigrants to leave. Critics say this will create labor shortages in critical industries like agriculture and construction, where immigrants are the backbone.

And this is where Elon officially steps into the policy arena. Trump has proposed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a $500 billion federal spending reduction machine. Elon has been tasked with leading it. This initiative aims to cut federal spending by identifying and eliminating what Elon deems wasteful programs.

That’s $2 trillion over four years. But here’s the thing: those cuts will slash services that millions of Americans depend on. Even Elon admits this won’t be easy. He has acknowledged the "temporary hardship" for Americans in the process of resetting this economy.

But what’s hard for a guy with hundreds of billions of dollars? Because for families living paycheck to paycheck, it’s rising prices, fewer jobs, and a safety net that’s been torn apart. Retailers have warned about price increases due to those tariffs.

Deportations could cripple supply chains. And cutting federal spending by billions of dollars will lead to reductions in public services, housing programs, and food aid.

Elon's motives: Serving the public or serving himself?

Don’t pretend that Elon is just a well-meaning billionaire trying to save America. While he is a nice guy, this is also a power play and revenge against him. He has been spurned by the Oval multiple times before, and that must have hurt. One could argue he has become a bit vindictive, and perhaps even petty.

You see, Elon’s connection to Trump gives him access — real, tangible access — to contracts, regulations, and federal influence that could greatly boost his companies. SpaceX, Tesla, and his other projects thrive on government contracts.

With Elon leading the efficiency committee, he essentially has a direct line to control federal spending priorities. Who needs a lobbyist when you’re the one holding the purse strings?

Some Democratic senators believe the Vice President-elect JD Vance will be quite useless. They think Elon will be in the Oval Office making every decision while Trump "nods along" and supports him.

And this guy isn’t just playing behind closed doors. He uses his platform — literally his platform, X (formerly Twitter) — to push his agenda. It’s no secret he has ramped up his tweeting since his buddy got elected.

At one point, Elon tweeted over 150 times in a single day, derailing the bipartisan government funding bill. Elon’s posts included more than one instance of misinformation, such as claiming the bill would raise lawmakers’ salaries by 40% and fund a $3 billion stadium in DC.

You can read through the bill yourself and see that none of it is true. But by the time fact-checkers catch up, it’s already dead.

"This bill should not pass," Elon writes. Twelve hours later, it did not pass. He celebrated, tweeting that, "The voice of the people has prevailed!" But was that really the people, Elon? The bill hadn't even been made public at that point.

Why is Elon investing so much in getting that bill repealed? Well, it turns out, buried in the law is a provision targeting tech deals involving China. And guess what? Elon has deep business ties in China. The original bill would have been costly for him. However, we can't say how costly.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who opposes cryptocurrency and criticizes Wall Street, summarized in an open letter to Trump: "The American public has no way of knowing whether the advice Elon whispers in secret is good for the country or just good for his own profits."

Washington's latest power couple

Trump and Elon are reshaping power in America. Trump gives Elon legitimacy. Elon gives Trump money, influence, and a level of clout that no billionaire can match. Together, they are a force. And they might just change the world, starting with that national Bitcoin strategic reserve.

And then fix all the economic bridges that Joe Biden has burned, like Russia and China. Elon’s billions and his platform make him invulnerable in a way that no one else in Trump’s circle can. Cabinet members can be replaced. Advisors can be sidelined.

But what about Elon? He is too big to fail, too connected to overlook, and too rich to challenge. The Republicans joke about Elon being the next Speaker of the House, but the truth is, he doesn't need that title. It would be like a demotion for him now.

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