Three ways the Trump-Musk feud revealed the GOP's twisted hypocrisy
Aside from being globally cathartic, the all-too-predictable breakup of President Donald Trump's unquenchable ego and Elon Musk's immense sense of self-importance pulled the dressing-room curtain back on the Republican Party.
And what we saw was both cringeworthy and indecent. Or as I like to call it, the Republican Party.
Here are three things this episode of 'Real Annoying Billionaires of Washington, DC' taught us about the conservatives who excitedly welcomed Musk – and his money – into politics:
As the president and the weirdo billionaire hurled insults at each other on June 5, Trump posted this threat: 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.'
Gee, I wonder who, up until June 5, was helping Musk grease the wheels to line up 'Billions and Billions of Dollars' in additional government contracts?
As The New York Times reported in March:
'Within the Trump administration's Defense Department, Elon Musk's SpaceX rocketry is being trumpeted as the nifty new way the Pentagon could move military cargo rapidly around the globe. In the Commerce Department, SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service will now be fully eligible for the federal government's $42 billion rural broadband push, after being largely shut out during the Biden era. … And at the Federal Aviation Administration and the White House itself, Starlink satellite dishes have recently been installed, to expand federal government internet access.'
Opinion: Musk erupts, claims Trump is in the Epstein files. Who could've seen this coming?
How quickly Trump went from filling Musk's coffers to repay him for his support and campaign contributions to suggesting Musk's contracts were, in fact, a form of government waste and fraud. (I mean … they are a form of government waste and fraud, but not in the way Trump was suggesting.)
There's no other takeaway from this other than: We were happy to pay Musk whatever he wanted as long as he loved Trump, but the minute he stopped loving Trump, we can easily stop paying him.
I think there's a word for that.
Musk's swift about-face on Trump shows what many of us have long suspected: Republicans or Republicans-of-convenience like Musk don't actually like or respect Trump.
On Feb. 7, Musk posted on social media: 'I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man.'
On June 5, Musk posted: '@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!'
Going from 'I love you, man' to 'I'm alleging you're connected to a notorious sex offender who was facing child sex trafficking charges before he died of suicide in jail' is quite a journey. And it implies that Musk saw Trump for what he is: a useful, loathsome fool.
Opinion: Who would want to have babies under a Trump administration? Not me.
The minute Trump became not useful to Musk, he sang his truth, something I'd bet most Republicans would do if they had untold wealth and didn't have to worry much about repercussions.
That tells you all you need to know about the modern-day GOP – liars boosting a lout in their own self-interest.
For all its fanfare, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency that Musk oversaw accomplished precious little cost-cutting while inflicting massive harm on America's global reputation, the lives of people reliant on U.S. aid, and the overall functioning of the federal government.
Republicans knew this yet still tripped over themselves to toss roses at Musk's feet, hailing him as some kind of genius/savior. They wanted his money, and they wanted the disinformation cannon that comes with his right-wing social media platform.
But when Musk grew wise to what Republican lawmakers were doing with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – a deficit-ballooning monstrosity – he turned on his handmaidens and his former love, President Trump.
Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.
So Trump, of course, called him crazy. Which begs the question: Why were you letting a crazy person access Americans' most private data and demolish the federal workforce? And are you now going to … you know … make sure the guy you think is crazy didn't do something catastrophically bad?
Congressional Republicans had to pick a side, and they've largely stepped into Trump's arms, knowing Musk may well be disliked even more than the sitting president.
The Washington Post reported June 6: 'Across the government, the Trump administration is scrambling to rehire many federal employees dismissed under DOGE's staff-slashing initiatives after wiping out entire offices, in some cases imperiling key services such as weather forecasting and the drug approval process.'
Translation: Musk's DOGE nonsense was for naught, an attempt to fluff a billionaire's ego while cloaking the high-spending, deficit-raising moves Republicans were going to make all along.
There's a sucker born every minute, and two Republicans to take 'em.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump vs. Musk shows us depths of the GOP's moral rot | Opinion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Anti-ICE protest mostly peaceful; arrest made after fight breaks out
SALT LAKE CITY () — Police estimate more than 1,000 people took to the Salt Lake City streets Thursday to protest ICE and the Trump administration's immigration policies. Salt Lake City Police called the protest 'mostly peaceful' as officers engaged with the crowd as demonstrations began, handing out guidelines for lawful gatherings. At the beginning of the protest, though, two counter protestors entered the crowd and seemed to instigate a fight. Video below: We spoke to one of the counter protestors before the fight broke out. He went by Kissmayoo and told 'Ice, let them do their job, okay? If you came here illegally, you have to go back. We're not trying to kick anybody out on purpose. We're just following the law. All these people out here, I think they're stupid. He is just doing his job.' One demonstrator, Veronica Bojorquez, explained why she believes it's important to show up. 'People are showing up, you know, and they're doing it peacefully and they're showing that we can do this the right way,' she said. 'And they need to listen to the people and especially of red state, where, you know, you think that not as much people as we see today are going to show up. I mean, they're here.' PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Anti-ICE protests begin in Salt Lake City The crowd spilled into the downtown streets with traffic blocked off. Police say they responded to some medical emergencies during the march. They also say the made one arrest after a fight broke out after 9 p.m., after many demonstrators had left. Police also noted, 'participants in the demonstration worked to mitigate and defuse several agitators provoking fights.' Some in the crowd were inspired to demonstrate in response to the raids and riots in Los Angeles. Thomas Camoin told us, 'They instigated it. People are frustrated. You know, it was a puddle of gasoline and Trump's people came in and put a match on it.' Police say a Tesla was vandalized in the demonstration. Chief Brian Redd released a statement in the aftermath saying: 'We're thankful that tonight's demonstration remained mostly peaceful. We also want to thank those organizers and participants who made a genuine effort to keep things lawful and respectful – that is our expectation and doing so respects the values of our community. As there are future demonstrations, we expect everyone to follow the law and to avoid confrontations that could turn violent. I also appreciate the hard work of our Salt Lake City police officers and those from allied agencies for their professionalism and coordination. Our top priority is public safety, which includes doing everything we can to keep safe while protecting our community.' Anti-ICE protest mostly peaceful; arrest made after fight breaks out Honduran nationals indicted after 52,000 fentanyl pills and cash were seized New Nimbus COVID-19 variant — What you need to know Wildfire burns 1500 acres in France Canyon in Garfield County, not contained Judge blocks Trump's National Guard deployment in Los Angeles Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US ready to defend itself, Israel if Iran responds to Israeli air strikes, Trump says
U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 13 that he was aware of Israel's plans to conduct strikes on Iran in advance and that Washington is watching for any signs of retaliation by Tehran, Fox News reported. "Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back," Trump told Fox News' anchor Bret Baier. The comments come after Israel launched heavy air strikes against 100 sites in Iran, targeting the country's nuclear program and reportedly killing Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and other top officials. In a statement released by the State Department, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States was not involved in the strikes on Iran, calling it a "unilateral action." The U.S. has reached out to at least one Middle Eastern ally to say that the strike is going to happen, but that Washington was not involved, Fox News reported. Trump said the U.S. military is on high alert and watching for any kind of retaliation, adding that the U.S. will respond to defend itself or Israel if Iran strikes back. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Tehran had already launched over 100 drones against Israel, which are expected to reach their targets within the next few hours. Before the attacks, Trump emphasized that despite tensions, he is committed to avoiding conflict and prefers a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear aspirations. "I want to have an agreement with Iran," Trump said, referring to ongoing Iran-U.S. nuclear talks in Oman. Writing on Truth Social, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to a "diplomatic resolution to the Iran nuclear issue," and insisted that his "entire administration has been directed to negotiate with Iran." Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has expressed willingness to accept limited restrictions in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. In contrast, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report highlighting Iran's failure to comply with its obligations to fully disclose activities at its nuclear facilities. Beyond the Middle East, Iran has emerged as a key ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine, supplying Moscow with drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Read also: Israel launches 'preemptive' air strikes on Iran's nuclear program, IRGC chief killed in attack We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Readers sound off on James Dolan, candidate proposals and open records reform
Brooklyn: The New York Knicks fired their coach, Tom Thibodeau, last week. The basketball world and most fans were surprised — some thought it was a joke. In five years Thibodeau had a regular season record of 226-174. In the five years before Thibodeau, all Knicks coaches combined had a record of 147-329. Nowhere in any of the stories did we see that statistic or hear about it from the Knicks front office. It wasn't the coach who traded the five draft picks for Karl Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges; it was the front office. These two couldn't keep themselves on the court for a full season, yet the Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference finals, beating the defending champ Boston Celtics along the way. The real issue, in my opinion, is owner James Dolan. He's clueless. Just look at what he did with the Rangers a few years ago. He fired both the general manager and head coach, and look what happened. It took two years, but they went from winning the President's Cup for best regular season record to not making the playoffs. Dolan's answer: Fire the coach of two years. All Madison Square Garden had left was the Knicks, and now we might not even have that anymore. Leave it to Dolan to ruin a good thing. The Knicks were the last good thing about the Garden, and now we wait to see if the joke will be on Dolan. John De Angelo Manalapan, N.J.: Under the new agreement with China, the people of the U.S. will have to pay a 55% tax to import goods from China while the people of China will pay only a 10% tax to buy U.S. goods. Looks like 'The Art of the Deal' was written in Mandarin. Joe Fontanelli Garden City, L.I.: Is it going to take another Kent State before someone can put a leash on this vicious, vindictive man-child in the White House? Hundreds of armed, unnecessary military and peaceful demonstrators. It's only a matter of time. Paul Falabella Milford, Pa.: It's amazing that President Trump calls in the National Guard and the U.S. Marines for a demonstration in L.A. but not for an attempted coup on Jan. 6. Can anyone explain that? Robert K. Greco Briarwood: Welcome to fascist America! U.S. Marines, trained to kill foreign enemies in war, are stationed on the streets of Los Angeles, ostensibly in response to an 'insurrection' of 'animals,' per Trump's words; military parades in honor of Trump's birthday, which are vaguely reminiscent of Hitler's and Mussolini's public antics; unconstitutional orders that usurp the powers of Congress proliferate; genocidal war sponsored by Trump against the Palestinians for Trump's Riviera in Gaza plan; essential social services for the poor, the sick and seniors abolished as oligarchs get tax benefits in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill.' Insurrection? Trump is delusional. The only insurrection would be one fought by the likes of the late Dr. Ernesto 'Che' Guevara of the Cuban Revolution. One-hundred years of American imperialism in Latin America caused poverty and the migrant influx into America, and now there's forcible racist deportation of primarily Hispanic Catholic migrants and legal immigrants by Trump. Joseph N. Manago East Meadow, L.I.: Who will Trump's special guest be at his birthday parade? Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, or will the Elon Musk bromance make up in time? Maybe Trump can arrange a pay-per-view vote show to collect royalties. Jeff Tuck Brooklyn: To Voicer Joe Schulok: Yes, I do suffer from TDS, the same way you are under the Jim Jones spell. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid and watching Fox News. I see no need to defend my comments because just about everything you said in your letter is a lying talking point from your cult leader. Stay in your cocoon and I'll stay in mine. June Lowe Bronxville, N.Y.: Tough guy Andrew Cuomo is guaranteeing to fight Trump. Perhaps he should see if he can get Trump to help with the issues of the day. Cuomo's act is old, and he should remember why he resigned. This narcissist's thirst for power needs to end. Peter Cooper Manhattan: Has anyone at the Daily News spent any time looking into the proposals advanced by the NYC mayoral candidates? Take Zohran Mamdani's proposal for free buses, one of his signature ideas. If you go to his website's link to an article in The Nation, there is not one reference to an analysis of what this would cost or what equipment, personnel, etc. it would take to implement. Clearly, free buses would attract more passengers and create overcrowding, which would precipitate the purchase of more buses, hiring drivers and mechanics, etc. — not accomplished overnight. This sounds like something Bill de Blasio thought up, but I'd be interested to learn what the Daily News is able to find out. Democracy is at its best when voters are informed, so I am asking The News to help us out. David Moretti Yonkers: To Voicer Lisa Flanzraich, who criticized Zohran Mamdani on Medicare Advantage: I looked at Mamdani's website, given his endorsement by AOC. In it, he is against Medicare Advantage plans, wants to retain traditional Medicare for retirees and wants to eliminate co-pays for active employees and non-Medicare retirees. I endorse his platform. Thomas Schechter Brooklyn: Sadly, a 2-year-old little boy is no longer alive. Why, people ask, was it necessary to kill this innocent child? It was done to hurt those who loved and cared for him. Split custody was what helped cause this baby's death. It does not happen all the time. I know of a young couple who, even though they are no longer together, love their child. You can see it when they come and drop off and pick up their child. What should have happened did not. As for split/joint custody, it could be a great thing. For this boy, it is no longer an option. How about coming up with a law in his name about custody? The situation should have been taken more seriously. In this little angel's name, let us help make a change. In memory of Montrell Williams, I implore lawmakers to make a strong law. Sharon Cesario Hyde Park, N.Y.: Just like Voicer Enrico Mango, I too am 'incredulous.' But that's where our similarities end. I am consistently amazed that Catholics, and in this case a Catholic physician, just can't wrap their minds around the fact that there are actually (a lot of!) people out there who don't give a damn about their church and personal beliefs. I've been an atheist for more than 40 years. I believe that assisted suicide is an idea that has taken too long to come into law. I'm sure in his 40 years of practicing medicine, Mango has come across at least a few people who could've benefited greatly from not dying a slow, agonizing death. I sure don't want to go that way! And as far as anybody needing 'forgiveness for this heinous act,' I feel the exact opposite. Jack Cregan Manhattan: The Daily News is right, Albany must reform the Freedom of Information Law ('Public access to public records,' editorial, June 11). But don't forget about NYC, where the public can wait months (or years!) for city agencies to provide records they requested. About 15% of FOIL requests submitted in 2024 are still open. Despite improvements with the OpenRecords Portal a decade ago, city agencies are not keeping up with requests, and in some cases not using the portal at all. I've been into government transparency for a long time. As a City Council staffer in the 1980s, I typed lists of government contacts and gave them out to people. As a City Council member in 2012, I passed NYC's first open data law to mandate that all public data be made available online. And in April, I introduced legislation to overhaul the city's FOIL process. Transparency and accountability are not optional in government. Gale A. Brewer
