Janice R. Andrews
Washington, D.C. — Tensions escalated in Washington on Wednesday as Democrats sarcastically referred to Donald Trump as “Vice President Trump” after Elon Musk took the lead in derailing a government funding bill. The billionaire tech mogul, who owns the X platform (formerly Twitter), posted more than 100 times throughout the day, rallying MAGA supporters against the bipartisan legislation, which aimed to fund the government through March.
Musk’s social media campaign was highly effective. In one post, he urged voters to pressure lawmakers, declaring that any representative who voted for the bill “deserves to be voted out.” By the end of the day, the bill had collapsed.
Musk’s Shadow Presidency
Musk’s intervention quickly became the focus of Democratic ire. Senator Bernie Sanders didn’t hesitate to take a swipe at Musk’s influence, writing:
“Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government. The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it. Will Republicans kiss the ring?”
Representative Pramila Jayapal also chimed in, mockingly referring to the billionaire as the true power in Washington:
“It’s clear who’s in charge, and it’s not President-elect Donald Trump. Shadow President Elon Musk spent all day railing against Republicans’ CR, succeeded in killing the bill, and then Trump decided to follow his lead.”
This criticism underscored growing concerns that Musk’s sway over Republican lawmakers was eclipsing Trump’s authority.
Trump Follows Musk’s Lead
Hours after Musk’s posts, Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance issued a joint statement condemning the bill. The timing of their remarks raised eyebrows, as it appeared that Trump was merely echoing Musk’s stance.
Former GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger took the opportunity to poke fun at Trump’s delayed reaction:
“Look, President Musk this morning made it clear—with all his vast government experience, which is basically that he became rich off the federal government—that he doesn’t want Republicans to pass this. Seemingly, Vice President Trump kind of backed him up.”
A Divided Republican Response
While Musk and Trump’s positions seemed to diverge, their criticism of the bill was unmistakable. Musk demanded a complete shutdown of Congress until Trump’s inauguration, while Trump called for a “clean CR” that would exclude additional spending provisions.
David Axelrod, a longtime Democratic strategist, pointed out the contrast in their approaches:
“They seem to be saying different things, and eventually, they’re going to have to get together and decide who the president is.”
Axelrod cautioned that the political landscape over the next few years could become even more chaotic:
“Everyone watching this should strap on their seat belts. Speaker Johnson ought to be strapping on his parachute.”
Musk’s Meme Campaign
Musk didn’t rely solely on posts to make his point. The tech mogul used memes to amplify his message. One popular image depicted Musk wielding a sword to “slice” the bill, symbolizing his opposition.
In another post, Musk encouraged his followers to take action:
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years! Please call your elected representatives right away to tell them how you feel.”
Democrats Strike Back
Georgia Representative Hank Johnson mocked the MAGA Republicans who sided with Musk:
“Wow! Rather than serving the people who elected them by keeping the government open through the holidays, MAGA Musk Republicans have chosen to follow President-Elect Musk’s order to SHUT IT DOWN!”
This sentiment reflected the frustration many Democrats felt over Musk’s growing influence, which they saw as an obstacle to reaching a bipartisan agreement.
High Stakes in Congress
The bill that Musk and Trump opposed was a hefty 1,547 pages long and included critical measures such as disaster relief, a 3.8% pay raise for lawmakers in 2025, and assistance for farmers. However, Trump and Vance argued that it was loaded with too many provisions that Democrats wanted.
In their joint statement, Trump and Vance called for a “clean CR,” one without the extraneous items included in the current version. Trump made his disapproval clear, warning Republicans who might support the bill:
“Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should, and will, be primaried.”
The Future of GOP Politics
With a potential government shutdown looming, the Republican Party faces mounting pressure to reconcile its internal divisions. Whether Musk’s growing influence marks a permanent shift in GOP dynamics or is just a fleeting moment of chaos remains uncertain.
As for Trump, his relationship with Musk could prove critical in shaping the future of the party. For now, the focus remains on the tension between Trump, Musk, and their political allies as the 2024 election cycle heats up.
