Simply earlier this week, I wrote how some observers, comparable to podcaster and tech reporter Kara Swisher, questioned how lengthy Donald Trump and Elon Musk may coexist, seeing as how they each have huge egos and there’s actually solely room for one relating to operating the nation.
Has the honeymoon already ended?
NBC News’ Dasha Burns, David Ingram and Julie Tsirkin wrote, “Musk has been so aggressive in pushing his views about Trump’s second time period that he’s stepping on the toes of Trump’s transition crew and could also be overstaying his welcome at Mar-a-Lago, in accordance with two folks aware of the transition who’ve hung out on the Palm Seashore, Florida, resort over the previous week. The sources stated that Musk’s near-constant presence at Mar-a-Lago within the week since Election Day had begun to put on on individuals who’ve been in Trump’s inside circle longer than the tech billionaire and who see him as overstepping his position within the transition. The sources spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they’re not approved to talk publicly.”
One of many sources informed NBC Information, “He’s behaving as if he’s a co-president and ensuring everybody is aware of it. And he’s certain taking a number of credit score for the president’s victory. Bragging about America PAC and X to anybody who will hear. He’s making an attempt to make President Trump really feel indebted to him. And the president is indebted to nobody.”
For the report, Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated in an announcement, “Elon Musk and President Trump are nice buddies and good leaders working collectively to Make America Nice Once more. Elon Musk is a as soon as in a technology enterprise chief and our federal forms will definitely profit from his concepts and effectivity.”
And to be clear, Musk now has an official position inside the administration. He and Vivek Ramaswamy have been named co-heads of the brand new “Division of Authorities Effectivity.” (Anybody else discover it amusing that there are two folks in command of the Division of Authorities Effectivity?”)
In the meantime, Mother Jones’ Inae Oh writes, “In keeping with a number of experiences, Musk is in all places you flip at Mar-a-Lago, from the resort’s reward store to just about each assembly and meal with president-elect Trump. That fixed presence has additionally prolonged to social media, the place Musk calls himself the ‘First Buddy’ and seems in photographs with Trump’s grandchildren.”
Politico’s Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels wrote, “The larger image, nevertheless, is how Musk is beginning to wear down his welcome with some in Trump’s orbit. After initially making an enormous splash along with his endorsement, made simply moments after the July try on Trump’s life, some insiders now say he’s change into nearly a comical distraction, hanging round Mar-a-Lago, sidling into high-level transition conferences and giving unsolicited suggestions on Trump’s personnel selections.”
One “insider” informed Politico, “Elon is getting slightly massive for his britches.”
So these are all of the issues that individuals in Trump’s orbit are saying. However Trump, for now, appears to not thoughts Musk hanging round. He would possibly even be having fun with that the world’s richest individual is a hanger-on.
Then once more, Musk is likely to be greater than that.
The New York Times’ Theodore Schleifer wrote that Musk “has ascended to a place of extraordinary, unofficial affect in Mr. Trump’s transition course of, enjoying a job that makes him indisputably America’s strongest non-public citizen. He has sat in on practically each job interview with the Trump crew and bonded with the Trump household, and he’s making an attempt to put in his Silicon Valley buddies in plum positions within the subsequent administration.”
Schleifer added, “Behind the scenes, Mr. Musk’s habits has been way more hands-on than even a few of his allies anticipated.”
Talking of Musk, folks and locations are leaving X.
The Guardian put out a narrative on Wednesday: “Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X.”
The Guardian says the negatives of X now outweigh the positives, and that they’ll look to advertise their work elsewhere.
The information outlet wrote, “That is one thing we have now been contemplating for some time given the customarily disturbing content material promoted or discovered on the platform, together with far-right conspiracy theories and racism. The US presidential election marketing campaign served solely to underline what we have now thought of for a very long time: that X is a poisonous media platform and that its proprietor, Elon Musk, has been in a position to make use of its affect to form political discourse.”
The Guardian famous that customers of X will nonetheless have the ability to hyperlink to Guardian content material, and that Guardian reporters will nonetheless use X for “news-gathering functions.”
It added, “Social media may be an vital instrument for information organizations and assist us to achieve new audiences however, at this level, X now performs a diminished position in selling our work.”
In the meantime, former CNN anchor Don Lemon stated he’s leaving X fully. His statement included him saying, “I as soon as believed it was a spot for trustworthy debate and dialogue, transparency, and free speech, however now I really feel it doesn’t serve that function.”
All of a sudden, the social media platform Bluesky is gathering some momentum. CNN’s Clare Duffy reports that Bluesky rocketed to the No. 1 spot on the Apple App Retailer’s U.S. chart this week. Its person base has doubled prior to now 90 days and it has gained 1 million new customers prior to now week, giving it greater than 15 million complete customers.
“However,” Duffy wrote, “whereas Bluesky could also be having A Second three years after its launch, any claims that it’s going to kill X needs to be taken with a grain of salt. As a personal firm, X doesn’t share person numbers. Current third celebration estimates of person developments are combined, though the constant person progress the platform loved previous to Musk’s takeover does seem to have been upended prior to now two years. However — for higher or, most likely, worse — the location has to date weathered the creation of a number of different opponents, the reinstatement of White supremacists and the unfold of racist conspiracy theories from Musk down with out fading into irrelevance.”
Donald Trump’s successful the election probably went a good distance in retaining his social media community, Reality Social, alive. For the second, anyway. Had Trump misplaced, Reality Social probably would have misplaced a lot of its relevance. It may need ultimately limped away.
But The New York Times’ Matthew Goldstein writes, “The social media firm that bears his title and represents the majority of his private fortune shouldn’t be going away anytime quickly. The market valuation of Trump Media & Know-how Group, the dad or mum firm of the platform Reality Social, at present rivals toy firm Mattel. And Mr. Trump’s majority stake in Trump Media is value about $3.3 billion.”
“However,” Goldstein provides, “the corporate stays very a lot at a crossroads given Reality Social’s paltry revenues and restricted promoting base. And although Mr. Trump has no official position at Trump Media, his 57 p.c possession stake raises the potential for conflicts of curiosity.”
That battle? Properly, suppose a international authorities or wealthy individual purchased a bunch of shares in Trump Media to realize favor with the longer term president.
Try Goldstein’s story for all the probabilities shifting ahead with Trump and Reality Social.
Pete Hegseth, the Fox Information host who Donald Trump is nominating to be Secretary of Protection, proven right here in 2016. (AP Photograph/Evan Vucci)
One minute, Pete Hegseth is a number on Fox Information. The subsequent he’s … (checks notes … after which checks notes once more) the Secretary of Protection?
One unnamed defense industry lobbyist told Politico, “Who the (expletive) is that this man?”
Eric Edelman, who served because the Pentagon’s prime coverage official throughout the Bush administration, informed Politico, “(Trump) places the best worth on loyalty. It seems that one of many essential standards that’s getting used is, how nicely do folks defend Donald Trump on tv?”
What is that this, Oprah? You get a cupboard put up. And also you get a cupboard put up. And also you get a cupboard put up. All it’s important to do is say good issues about Trump on TV.
The New York Times’ Helene Cooper wrote, “… a number of Pentagon officers questioned Mr. Hegseth’s lack of expertise — apart from serving within the army — and raised issues about his skill to win Senate affirmation, even with Republicans successful management of the chamber.”
As well as, Hegseth has questioned girls serving in fight roles. Simply final week, he stated on “The Shawn Ryan Present” podcast, “All the things about women and men serving collectively makes the state of affairs extra sophisticated, and complication in fight means casualties are worse. I’m straight-up simply saying that we should always not have girls in fight roles — it hasn’t made us simpler, hasn’t made us extra deadly, has made combating extra sophisticated.”
Marc Brief, the previous chief of employees to Vice President Mike Pence, informed MSNBC, “I’m certain there’ll be an extended affirmation course of for a number of appointees, however I wouldn’t underestimate Pete — Pete served 20 years, he was awarded the Bronze Star twice in Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s someone that I obtained to know when he was operating Involved Veterans for America. I believe folks too shortly underestimate Pete, and I believe it is a welcome change for lots of people who need to see a change on the Pentagon.”
Mediaite’s Zachary Leeman noted that MSNBC’s Jen Psaki stated of Hegseth, “Possibly he could possibly be the secretary of Veterans Affairs, possibly he may do one thing else. The secretary of protection is somebody who oversees the women and men serving world wide. It’s not about somebody who is nice on TV and who’s combating woke or cultural points.”
The Related Press’ Meg Kinnard appropriately factors out, “Since then-Protection Secretary Ash Carter opened all fight roles to girls in 2016, girls have efficiently handed the army’s grueling checks to change into Inexperienced Berets and Military Rangers, and the Naval Particular Warfare’s check to function a combatant-craft crewman — the boat operators who transport Navy SEALs and conduct their very own categorized missions at sea.”
Try Kinnard’s story: “What to know about Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to serve as defense secretary.”
For now, Kamala Harris shouldn’t be going to be President Harris. However may she find yourself being Gov. Harris?
A brand new ballot from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Occasions discovered that if Harris determined to enter the 2026 California gubernatorial race, practically half of voters can be very or considerably prone to help her. Gavin Newsom’s time period as governor ends in 2026, and by that point, Newsom could possibly be gearing as much as run for president.
Harris nonetheless has a house in California, and has served California as a San Francisco district lawyer, the state’s lawyer basic, and as a U.S. senator. She has not indicated that she would run for governor. With the presidential election having simply ended after a whirlwind three-month marketing campaign, in addition to nonetheless serving as vice chairman, Harris probably will want some downtime to determine what she would possibly need to do subsequent. California additionally figures to have loads of seasoned politicians inquisitive about operating for governor.
The Los Angeles Times’ Laura J. Nelson wrote, “Harris would have stronger help general from Democrats, who’ve a virtually 2-1 voter registration benefit over Republicans. About 72% of Democrats stated they might be very probably or considerably prone to contemplate Harris for governor, in contrast with 8% of Republicans and 38% of voters with no celebration choice.”
However, Nelson added, “… the ballot means that Californians could possibly be much less supportive of Harris operating for governor in contrast along with her run for president this yr. Forty-six p.c of probably voters had been considerably (13%) or very (33%) prone to help her for governor in 2026, the ballot discovered. As of Tuesday, Harris had received 59% of the presidential race votes counted in California.”
Have suggestions or a tip? E mail Poynter senior media author Tom Jones at [email protected].
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