The team of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk himself have dismissed speculations about the billionaire’s influence after he was dubbed the “shadow president.”
In recent days, U.S. Democrats have begun referring to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as the “shadow president” or “President Musk,” implying that the billionaire is exerting excessive influence on American politics.
The controversy began on December 18 when a heated debate erupted between Democrats and Republicans over a budget spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown. Musk had exerted pressure by posting more than 100 tweets opposing the bill.
Musk’s fierce criticism, coupled with President-elect Donald Trump’s apparent silence on the matter, led Democrats to question whether the billionaire was wielding more influence over the Republican Party than Trump himself.
“Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan deal to fund the government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, didn’t like it. Billionaires should not be running our government,” commented Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.
By the end of the day, Trump posted on the Truth Social platform, opposing the bill and urging Republicans not to vote for it, instead proposing a new draft. As a result, the initial bill failed to pass Congress.
Trump’s team also rejected criticisms regarding Elon Musk’s influence amid bipartisan budget negotiations.
“As soon as President-elect Donald Trump took a formal stance on the budget bill, Republican members aligned with his position. President-elect Trump is the true leader of the Republican Party,” stated Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White House Press Secretary.
Musk also dismissed the notion that he was a “shadow president,” calling it a “Democratic ploy” aimed at creating a rift between him and President-elect Trump. He asserted that this plan was doomed to fail.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, had become a strong supporter of Trump during the final stages of the presidential campaign.
Following Trump’s election victory, Musk was chosen to co-chair the Government Operations Efficiency Board (DOGE), which is expected to streamline the new administration’s operations and reduce budget waste.
Even before Trump assumes office, Musk has demonstrated considerable influence. He frequently appears alongside the President-elect, participates in phone calls, or attends meetings between Trump and international leaders.
Musk is also believed to have had a significant impact on Trump’s personnel choices for his administration.
