Elon Musk's rocket-fuelled ride with Trump flames out
WASHINGTON - Elon Musk stormed into US politics as President Donald Trump's chainsaw-brandishing sidekick. Four turbulent months later it's the tech tycoon himself on the chopping block.
Trump hailed Musk as "terrific" as he announced that they would hold a joint press conference on Friday as the South African-born magnate leaves the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
"This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way," Trump said on his Truth Social network on Thursday.
But the warm words could not hide the open frustrations that Musk, the world's richest man, had expressed in recent weeks about his controversial cost-cutting role for the world's most powerful man.
Once a fixture at the Republican president's side, dressed in t-shirts and MAGA baseball caps, Musk had shown growing disillusionment with the obstacles faced by DOGE even as it cut a brutal swath through the US bureaucracy.
He leaves far short of his original goal of saving $2 trillion, with The Atlantic magazine calculating he saved just one thousandth of that, despite tens of thousands of people losing their jobs.
Instead, he will focus on his SpaceX and Tesla businesses, as well as his goal of colonising Mars.
ROCKET-LIKE RISE
It was all very different at first, as the 53-year-old Musk rose through Trump's orbit as rapidly as one of his rockets, though they have been known to blow up now and again.
Musk was the biggest donor to Trump's 2024 election campaign, and the pair bonded over right-wing politics and a desire to root out what they believed was a wasteful "deep state."
READ: Musk to exit US government role after rare break with Trump
DOGE was jokingly named after a "memecoin," but it was no joke. Young tech wizards who slept in the White House complex shuttered whole government departments. Foreign countries found their aid cut off.
A shades-wearing Musk brandished a chainsaw at a conservative event, boasting of how easy it was to save money, and separately made what appeared to be a Nazi salute.
Soon, the man critics dubbed the "co-president" was constantly at Trump's side.
The tycoon appeared with his young son X on his shoulders during his first press conference in the Oval Office. He attended cabinet meetings. He and Trump rode on Air Force One and Marine One together. They watched cage fights together.
Many wondered how long two such big egos could coexist.
But Trump himself remained publicly loyal to the man he called a "genius."
One day, the president even turned the White House into a pop-up Tesla dealership after protesters targeted Musk's electric car business.
'GOT INTO FIGHTS'
Yet the socially awkward tech magnate also struggled to get a grip on the realities of US politics.
The beginning of the end "started [in] mid-March when there were several meetings in the Oval Office and in the cabinet room where basically Elon Musk got into fights," Elaine Kamarck of the Brookings Institution told AFP.
One shouting match with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent could reportedly be heard throughout the West Wing. Musk publicly called Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro "dumber than a sack of bricks."
Nor did Musk's autocratic style and Silicon Valley creed of "move fast and break things" work well in Washington.
The impact on Musk's businesses also began to hit home. A series of SpaceX launches ended in fiery failures, while Tesla shareholders fumed.
Musk started musing about stepping back, saying that "DOGE is a way of life, like Buddhism" that would carry on without him.
Finally, Musk showed the first signs of distance from Trump himself, saying he was "disappointed" in Trump's recent mega-spending bill. Musk also said he would pull back from spending time on politics.
The end came, appropriately, in a post by Musk on Wednesday on the X network, which he bought and then turned into a megaphone for his right-wing politics.
But Musk's departure might not be the end of the story, said Kamarck.
"I think they genuinely like each other, and I think Musk has a lot of money that he can contribute to campaigns if he is so moved. I think there will be a continued relation," she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
44 minutes ago
- IOL News
The merger of KZN's Gold Circle and Cape Racing has birthed Race Coast.
The merger of Gold Circle's operations in KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Racing from the Western Cape has given rise to an exciting new entity known as Race Coast. Founded under the auspices of the uMhlanga-based South African sports betting company Hollywoodbets, this collaboration has been met with resounding support from the nation's leading horse trainers, who believe it represents a bright future for the sport. Prominent South African champion trainer Justin Snaith, along with the globally-renowned horse racing ambassador Mike de Kock and accomplished trainer Dean Kannemeyer, have publicly endorsed Race Coast. Their collective enthusiasm highlights a refreshing wave of optimism within the racing community. The Cape Town-based Snaith emphasised that this initiative promises not only to elevate the standards of racing but also to foster a deeper connection between the sport and its fans. He reflected on the initial success in his province of a similar initiative, RaceCape, initiated by Cape Racing and Hollywoodbets. Snaith is celebrating a half-century of KZN winter season assaults for the famous family operation. His father Chris, still a key member of their team, first raided with a string from the Cape in 1975. 'That structure has proven a tremendous success! It has not only boosted ownership and field sizes in the Western Cape but has also provided trainers with additional funding to enhance their operations. "Now we mark the historic beginnings of Race Coast, which is another generous initiative by Hollywoodbets, aimed at promoting ownership in KwaZulu-Natal and the Cape while boosting the horse population,' said at the launch of Race Coast. Snaith reminded us of the past, recalling that many feared that horse racing in South Africa might not survive after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'However, the dedicated efforts of a few individuals have not only saved the sport but have also paved the way for an exciting future. It is a future that we can shape and reinvent, making it better for all stakeholders involved. "Race Coast marks the beginning of something special for the province and the future of horse racing in South Africa. On behalf of all our owners, staff, and horses, we want to express our sincere gratitude,' he concluded. Mike de Kock, hailed as one of the great trainers of his generation, echoed this sentiment. He expressed confidence that Race Coast would invigorate South African racing and attract a new generation of enthusiasts, emphasising the intrinsic value of promoting racing as both an entertainment platform and a cultural cornerstone. De Kock, who recently joined forces with his son Mathew in a training partnership, said: 'De Kock Racing has been around for a long time, but as a new training partnership, Mathew and I are excited to be involved with the innovators behind Race Coast. "We have already seen the evidence of their vision and commitment, and we have positioned ourselves to grow with them. We look forward to what the future holds.' Three-time Hollywoodbets Durban July winning trainer Kannemeyer said a refreshing wave of enthusiasm and hope have been felt tangibly in the horse racing fraternity. 'The improvement and upliftment have been in bricks and mortar, communication, and incentives and stakes across the spectrum in the Cape, and looking at the rejuvenated Hollywoodbets Greyville landscape. It is a revelation and a passion-driven work-in-progress, in simple terms," he said. "The Hollywoodbets Team have made a difference in a short time, and one gets a very warm feeling that the sport is in good hands. We are all united under the flag of future prosperity, and, on behalf of our owners and the DKR team, I extend sincere onward and upward best wishes to Race Coast.'
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
What did the Trump-Ramaphosa meeting tell us about the image of SA and its leaders?
A video is played as US President Donald Trump meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington last Wednesday. The meeting was amid tensions over Washington's resettlement of white Afrikaners that the US president claims are the victims of "genocide." Trump criticised EFF leader Julius Malema and the "Kill the Boer" chant, citing it as evidence of targeted violence against white Afrikaner farmers. Image: Jim WATSON / AFP THE much-anticipated meeting between our President Cyril Ramaphosa and his counterpart in the United States, President Donald Trump, lived up to expectations, with the latter turning up the heat on his guests. By the admission of our delegation, South Africa is a very dangerous place because of rampant crime and lawlessness. While the jury is still out as to whether Ramaphosa succeeded in his attempts to reset the strained bilateral relations, what is clear is that the meeting gave the international community the impression that South African leaders are failing in their constitutional duty to protect citizens and govern the country. The result is that our pride as a beacon of hope in Africa is now hurt. The South African government came across as inept and lacking the political will to deal decisively with the scourge of violent crime, mass unemployment, and racial intolerance, to name a few crises. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading We are not yet privy to what was discussed behind closed doors and the deals that were made. What will be remembered about the meeting is Trump's wild and unsubstantiated claims of genocide suffered by Afrikaners and his display of brute power over Ramaphosa in front of the cameras. One could easily tell that Ramaphosa, like Ukraine's Zelensky went to the White House with a begging bowl. Unlike Zelensky, though, Ramaphosa went out of his way to massage the errant Trump's ego and thus came across as submissive; suffice it to say that some people would argue that he was being diplomatic. However, the big takeaway and the elephant in the room has got to be the painful admission from the South African delegation of the government's helplessness in the fight against rampant crime. This helplessness was in full display in 2021 during the looting spree after former President Zuma was arrested. To date, not even a single mastermind behind the 2021 riots has been successfully prosecuted. Similarly, those fingered by the Zondo Commission of Inquiry have not been prosecuted, suggesting that there's no political will to deal decisively with corruption and wrongdoing. This raises the question: what does this tell us about the image of South Africa and its leaders? The image of South Africa that Trump portrayed and that the delegation conceded to was of a lawless country whose government cannot protect its citizens from violent crime. In recent years, more and more South Africans are living in fear of political assassinations, hijackings, extortionists, burglars, armed robbers, kidnappers, and taxi violence. What exacerbates South Africa's problems are its porous borders and corrupt officials managing the borders. Lawlessness and the lack of political will to combat crime in South Africa are attracting criminals across the continent and from abroad to come and operate in the country with impunity. Crime in South Africa permeates every aspect of life, and it undermines good governance, efficient economic management, public safety, social order, and compliance with the law. The result is that South Africa is increasingly becoming an unattractive destination for foreign direct investment and international tourists. No wonder our domestic economy is struggling to grow and create much-needed jobs. What this means is that the problems of high unemployment and poverty are not going away soon, and crime is likely to continue. While Trump might not have succeeded in proving the genocide case, he appeared to succeed in making the South African delegation concede that crime, across the board, is out of control and the government is failing in its constitutional duty to protect its citizens. South Africa's businessman, Johann Rupert, was at pains explaining to Trump that 'crime affects everyone' and that South Africa needs America's 'help to stop this awful killing….' Interestingly, Rupert made the point that South Africa needs to fix its wobbly economy to end what he labels the culture of 'dependency and lawlessness.' The portrayal of South Africa as a country that cannot fix its problems does not bode well for its aspirations as a regional leader in Africa. South Africa styles and markets itself as a 'bridge' and a getaway into the African continent. Its membership of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the G20 makes South Africa see itself as a spokesperson for and leader of Africa. This begs the question: Is South Africa fit and fully equipped to be a regional leader if its government cannot provide domestic leadership? The idea that economic problems, such as high unemployment among the youth and poverty, are to blame for intolerable levels of crime is not convincing. There are many poorer countries in Africa without high levels of crime. The difference is that there are consequences for breaking the law in many African states. In countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, there is a political will to hold lawbreakers accountable. Ramaphosa's cute move to dispel the notion of genocide: In an attempt to debunk and send a message that there is no genocide of Afrikaners, Ramaphosa 's entourage comprised prominent Afrikaners such as golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen as well as businessman Johann Rupert and John Steenhuizen, a member of Ramaphosa's GNU Cabinet. Even the presence of prominent Afrikaners appeared not to be enough evidence to convince Trump that the South African government is not discriminating against whites, in general, and Afrikaners, in particular. It should be remembered that the GNU has passed three laws that white political parties vehemently opposed, that is, the BELA bill, the NHI bill, and the Expropriation bill. In this context, Trump came to the meeting wanting to put pressure on Ramaphosa to do more to accommodate the interests of the white population. This could explain why Trump saw the multi-racial composition of South Africa's delegation to the US as superficial and condescending. The Malema factor: In making his case of a genocide in South Africa, Trump played a video of the EFF's Julius Malema chanting 'Kill the Boer, Kill the farmer' and even former president Zuma singing about shooting Afrikaners. Trump then baselessly claimed that 'they take the land. They kill the farmer. And nothing happens to them.' There is no doubt that these slogans and songs about killing Afrikaners do constitute hate speech and incite violence, even though the courts have found otherwise. It was quite embarrassing to see our prominent leaders utter such venomous words at a time when South Africans should be forging racial tolerance and unity. Without realising it, Trump gave Malema the attention he craves and the status of a leader who stands up to the 'imperialist' West. Malema might have looked bad in the eyes of the Western audience for shouting hateful slogans, but among his sympathizers, he is now the real deal, who is feared by Western leaders. The slogan, 'Kill the Boer, Kill the farmer,' has a long history in South Africa, and it is associated with the ANC during the anti-apartheid struggle. How embarrassing it could have been for Ramaphosa had he been seen next to Zuma singing a song about shooting Afrikaners, since the video Trump played showed Zuma wearing an ANC golf shirt while still the president of the ANC. So what message does it send to the world when prominent leaders in South Africa, including its then state president Zuma, sing about shooting and killing members of a minority group? The governing ANC has never denounced this awful slogan. This is the same ANC government that accused Israel of genocide but tolerates leaders who advocate for the killing of a racial minority. I guess this is the hypocrisy Trump sought to expose. No wonder no meaningful racial reconciliation has happened in South Africa. Can one then blame those Afrikaners who recently emigrated to the US? Zakhele Collison Ndlovu Image: File Zakhele Collison Ndlovu is a political analyst at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. THE POST
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
WATCH: Elon Musk's bizarre departure from Trump's administration - with a black eye
Elon Musk bid farewell to Donald Trump in the Oval Office appearance, sporting a black eye and dismissing drug abuse claims while vowing to remain a close advisor. But many people were more interested in the livid black bruise around Musk's right eye. "I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president," he said. South African-born Musk, wearing a black T-shirt with the word "Dogefather" in white lettering and a black DOGE baseball cap, said many of the $1 trillion savings he promised would take time to bear fruit. "He's going to be back and forth," said Trump, showering praise on the tech tycoon for what he called the "most sweeping and consequential government reform program in generations." But Trump insisted that Musk was "really not leaving" after a turbulent four months in which his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut tens of thousands of jobs, shuttered whole agencies and slashed foreign aid. As the world's richest person bowed out of his role as Trump's cost-cutter-in-chief, the Republican hailed Musk's "incredible service" and handed him a golden key to the White House. Billionaire Elon Musk bade farewell to Donald Trump in an extraordinary Oval Office appearance Friday, sporting a black eye, brushing aside drug abuse claims and vowing to stay a "friend and advisor" to the US president. Speculation about the cause was further fueled by accusations in the New York Times Friday that Musk used so much of the drug ketamine on the 2024 campaign trail that he developed bladder problems. 'Punch me' The SpaceX and Tesla magnate said that his son was to blame for the injury. "I was just horsing around with lil' X, and I said, 'go ahead punch me in the face,'" 53-year-old Musk said. "And he did. Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is..." he added, before tailing off. Musk, however, dodged a question about the drug allegations. The New York Times said Musk, the biggest donor to Trump's 2024 election campaign, also took ecstasy and psychoactive mushrooms and traveled with a pill box last year. Musk, who has long railed against the news media and championed his X social media platform as an alternative, took aim at the paper instead. "Is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russiagate?" said Musk, referring to claims that Trump's 2016 election campaign colluded with Moscow. "Let's move on. Okay. Next question." Later in the day, when a reporter asked Trump if he was "aware of Elon Musk's regular drug use," Trump simply responded: "I wasn't." "I think Elon is a fantastic guy," he added. The White House had earlier played down the report. "The drugs that we're concerned about are the drugs running across the southern border" from Mexico, said Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, whose wife works for Musk. Musk has previously admitted to taking ketamine, saying he was prescribed it to treat a "negative frame of mind" and suggesting his use of drugs benefited his work. 'Disappointed' The latest in a series of made-for-TV Oval Office events was aimed at putting a positive spin on Musk's departure. Musk is leaving Trump's administration under a cloud, after admitting disillusionment with his role and criticizing the Republican president's spending plans. It was a far cry from his first few weeks as Trump's chainsaw-brandishing sidekick. At one time Musk was almost inseparable from Trump, glued to his side on Air Force One, Marine One, in the White House and at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The right-wing magnate's DOGE led an ideologically-driven rampage through the federal government, with its young "tech bros" slashing tens of thousands of jobs. DOGE's achievements fell far short of Musk's original goal of saving $2 trillion dollars. The White House says DOGE has made $170 billion in savings so far. The independent "Doge Tracker" site has counted just $12 billion while the Atlantic magazine put it far lower, at $2 billion. Musk's "move fast and break things" mantra was also at odds with some of his cabinet colleagues, and he said earlier this week that he was "disappointed" in Trump's planned mega tax and spending bill as it undermined DOGE's cuts. Musk's companies have suffered Tesla shareholders called for him to return to work as sales slumped and protests targeted the electric vehicle maker, while SpaceX had a series of fiery rocket failures. AFP
