Elon Musk left the White House. Don't be surprised to see him in campaign ads next year.
Elon Musk's time at the White House is over.
His time as a mainstay of American politics is probably not.
It's not just that Republicans love him. It's that Democrats love to hate him.
Elon Musk's tenure as a White House employee is over. His time in the political spotlight is probably not.
That's not just because he says he'll continue to be in Washington frequently, or because Republicans will continue to call on him for advice. It's also because Democrats are likely to keep bringing him up, continuing to use him as a foil as they look to retake power in the 2026 midterm elections.
"He doesn't get to just go away," Mike Nellis, founder and CEO of the Democratic campaign firm Authentic told BI. "He's indelibly tied to everything that happens in the Trump administration."
As the informal head of DOGE, Musk embarked on a dramatic campaign of firings and shuttering of federal agencies that helped reignite what had once been a dormant Democratic resistance. Musk's favorability with the public sank lower than Trump, according to numerous polls, and that unpopularity eventually spilled over to Tesla.
Six months later, Musk is a mainstay of Democratic messaging, popping up in places he wasn't before. Democrats aren't just taking on billionaires; they're taking on "billionaires like Elon Musk." Republicans aren't just cutting taxes for the wealthy; they're cutting taxes for the world's richest man.
Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said that Musk "is, and forever will be, an instantly recognizable manifestation of the fact that House Republicans don't work for the American people, they work for the billionaires."
"Top of mind for voters are the pocketbook issues," Shelton said. "Democrats are going to win by highlighting the fact that Republicans are failing at lowering costs because they are too busy pushing tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, while making the rest of us pay for them."
Going after Musk is seen as a political winner, and Democrats are unlikely to just give it up, even if Musk himself isn't hanging around the White House so much anymore. The tech titan spent nearly $300 million to elect Trump and other Republicans in 2024, making it easy to cast Musk as the GOP's prime benefactor.
"He's turned himself into a poison pill for the Republican Party, and they tied themselves right to him, and he's an anchor," Nellis said. "So as long as that continues to be effective messaging, there's no reason to get away from that."
As Musk says he's turning back toward his companies, some lawmakers have taken to insisting that the tech titan is as present as before, but keeping out of sight.
"He's just trying to hide in the shadows," Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin previously told BI, saying that Republicans "realize he's a liability, and they just want to put him in the back closet."
Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, a prominent progressive who led the charge among Democrats to make Musk into a villain, told BI in a statement that Musk was "forced to leave" by public outcry over his work at DOGE and his financial entanglement with the federal government.
"We cannot allow Musk to slink back behind the curtain and continue pulling the strings of the government out of sight," Casar said. "As long as Musk continues to corrupt our government, I will be organizing to make sure Americans know what he is doing and hold him and Trump accountable."
Even if Musk isn't physically present in Washington as much, Democrats can fundraise off of his name, as they have with other major GOP donors.
"He's actually the first billionaire to remove the veil," Nellis said. "The Koch brothers didn't go work in the government. Sheldon Adelson didn't go work in the government. Elon Musk did."
Musk did not return a request for comment. He has lamented the reputational hit his companies have taken, and he said in two different interviews recently that DOGE had become the "whipping boy" for any unfavorable policies enacted by the Trump administration.
"That's what happens when you choose to make yourself a public figure like this," Nellis said. "He could have done this more quietly, and it still probably would have happened anyway, but he went all in, in a way you've never seen a billionaire do before."
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Newsweek
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Politico
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Jolly takes the plunge into wide open field
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Politico
25 minutes ago
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Spiller super PAC spent $8.3M just on canvassing
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Phil Murphy's administration has allocated an extra $20 million for Paterson police operations, including millions spent on overtime to increase police presence on the streets.' 500-PERSON TOWN HAS ITS OWN POLICE FORCE, SCHOOL BOARD — 'West Wildwood could look to supplement cops, not disband,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Bill Barlow: 'The Board of Commissioners will consider contracting with an outside police department to cover overnight shifts for its understaffed and overstressed police … On Monday, a report from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police on West Wildwood became public, outlining multiple problems with the department. They included serious staffing woes, along with raising concerns about procedure for handling evidence, training officers for leadership and responsibilities for investigation … But the conclusion of the report was that the department should be disbanded, contracting with Wildwood for police service. A group of West Wildwood residents does not want to see that happen. More than 200, out of a year-round population of about 540, are part of a Facebook group called 'Save the West Wildwood Police Department.'' MR. GUYBACHEV, PUT UP THIS WALL BETWEEN UNION CITY AND NORTH BERGEN — 'Hudson County officials celebrate a piece of the Berlin Wall coming to Secaucus park,' by Hudson County View's Daniel Ulloa: 'Hudson County officials celebrated a piece of the Berlin Wall that separated West Berlin from East Germany during the Cold War was installed in Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus yesterday. 'It's a powerful symbol of a world once divided: It marked the triumph of the human spirit, that moment changed the world,' Hudson County Cultural and Heritage Affairs Director Gina Hulings said at the ceremony. ... Hudson County Executive Craig Guy also expressed enthusiasm about the unveiling. 'This is an historic event, right? We have a piece of the Berlin Wall that comes all the way across the pond, all the way to Hudson County … It finds itself in one of the best parks,' he stated.' MANALAPOLOGY — 'Mayor's wife wrote apology letter after stealing $5K at housekeeping job, police say,' by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: 'The wife of a mayor in Monmouth County wrote a letter of apology to a friend she worked for as a housekeeper after the friend allegedly caught her on a security camera stealing cash, according to police. Jennifer Nelson, 52, of Manalapan, was charged with third-degree theft on May 22 for an incident that allegedly occurred a week earlier at a home in Freehold, according to police. The victim is identified in court records as Nelson's friend, and someone whose home Nelson cleaned for eight years.' — 'New Jersey primary 2025: Here's what to know about Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen's reelection bid and City Council races' — 'Turnout so far: 9% for Demcorats, 5% for GOP' — 'Ex-[Mount Arlington] councilman who took an envelope of cash from a secret hotel meeting will avoid jail' — 'Democrat running for Wayne mayor: My primary opponent is a 'lifelong Republican'' — 'Jersey Shore firefighter wins court battle over growing beard on religious grounds' — '[Salem City] man says he's fighting for justice after beloved bulldog dies in animal control custody' — 'N.J. suspends license of [Penns Grove] department's top cop over licensing dispute involving other cops' — 'Jersey City Police Officer Freeman is 6th candidate to formally declare for mayor' EVERYTHING ELSE THE CRUCIFIX IS IN — Lawmakers threaten Seton Hall funding amid new scandal, by POLITICO's Dustin Racioppi: Seton Hall University could lose $1 million in state funding over its handling of sexual abuse scandals. Two influential state senators said in a statement that they are 'no longer confident that Seton Hall deserves funding from NJ taxpayers,' following new allegations of sexual abuse and hazing in the school's baseball program. Those claims, detailed in a new lawsuit, follow POLITICO's reporting that the university hired its new president despite recommendations he not hold leadership positions because he didn't properly report sexual abuse allegations as a seminary leader. And even though the Catholic university's church leader ordered an investigation into how the new president was hired, Seton Hall has blocked a key witness from testifying, setting up a power clash at the country's oldest diocesan university. State Sens. Joseph Vitale and Andrew Zwicker said they are 'particularly disturbed' by that decision and are now 'confronted with allegations that go to the heart of the university's culture and failure of leadership.' — 'Sailor returned from combat to find his beloved dog was given away; he wants Archie back' — 'Decorative helicopter mishap cost American Dream over $20M, developer says' — 'Cliffside Cube? A new style duplex is rising in northern NJ. And it's everywhere'
