Could US anoint 'President Musk'? How Tesla billionaire is stealing Trump’s spotlight
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Much to Donald Trump’s private fury, many Americans have begun referring to Elon Musk as “President.”. Given the world’s richest man’s outsized role in shaping Republicans, the Telsa billionaire has undeniable influence over the incoming US leader. Just days before the inauguration, the joke around Washington, DC’s corridors of power is that the Republican leader is now known as Musk’s ‘Vice President Trump’.
The billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter) has long been polarising. Known for his provocative social media presence, business ventures, and controversial take on politics and society, Musk has increasingly been growing in political influence.
Recent reports suggest that Trump, who has historically prided himself on being a self-made and self-reliant leader, has grown unusually deferential to Musk. The duo has been spotted together at high-profile events. The closeness has led Musk to become known as “First Buddy” among political insiders, a playful nod to the “First Lady” title usually reserved for the president’s spouse.
Far from shying away from the nickname, Musk has embraced it with characteristic bravado. But joking aside, Trump, the undisputed leader of the Republican Party, now appears to be taking cues from the billionaire on key issues, including free speech, artificial intelligence regulation, and energy policy.
Musk’s involvement goes beyond mere influence; he has actively shaped many of the Republican Party’s agenda, steering it toward an almost techno-libertarian vision that aligns with his worldview. Republican strategists have noted that Musk’s star power among younger, tech-savvy voters has revitalized the party’s appeal.
