It’s not obvious Trump can fire him. Musk didn’t only contribute to the Trump campaign, but also brought in tech billionaire friends. Earlier in the year, the GOP National Convention was running on pocket change. It’s quite possible Musk brought in the cash they desperately needed, and they expect a return on that investment.
Trump might have needed a reminder about who is actually in charge.
Trump doesn’t care about the Republican party. Nor does he honour agreements. Hell use them while they benefit him, financially or otherwise. Then dump them when it suits him to. He expects loyalty, he doesn’t give it. The question is will this happen before or after musk gets what he wants. Or if musk just wants power and has not got a single objective.
He can ignore the little people. He can’t ignore the people who saved his campaign. Even though this is his last term (probably), they can chew him up in other ways if he doesn’t fall in line.
Right but now he’s playing with the big boys. This isn’t like when “Trump <whatever>” fleeced some rubes, now Trump is in deep with the oligarchs of the modern gilded age.
Like when he was president last time? Money isnt power. Power is power, and if the country falls far enough into autocracy, anyone who forgets that can take the fast elevator down from the 40th floor.
That’s the thing isn’t it? You can’t actually buy political influence, the closest you can get is the wink and nudge.
The only lever they have is threatening to not donate again.
Trump doesn’t care if they donate to the GOP again. He’s not running again. Musk and friends have served their purpose, or very nearly so. The promise of their donations can be leveraged to get the votes needed to ensure appointments that can help keep trump in power or out of jail at the end of his term, be they administrative, judicial or military.
Money can be useful to power, but it’s not itself power.
"Hey, Clarence, how you doing? Virgina doing OK? Good, good. Hey, I was just thinking, my wife and I were going to use the yacht this weekend, but we had something else come up. It’s all stocked and fueled, and it’d be a shame if it went to waste. Would you and Virginia like to get away? Ok, excellent, I’ll let the crew know.
“Oh, and Thomas, you know that big ruling on Trump’s boarder plan? Yeah, make sure it doesn’t go the President’s way. Yes, of course, I’ll make sure there’s plenty of eyebrow torture porn on the shipboard theater.”
In that example, he doesn’t actually care about a wall. How does a wall benefit him? He cares about diverting money to his pocket, maintaining power, and staying out of prison.
The supreme court already gave him personal immunity for most acts he takes while president. He could literally order Thomas arrested for corruption and there’s nothing the court could do to him.
Musk has utility while he potentially helps secure votes on appointments that matter for significant goals, but securing those appointments is also desirable for other Republicans, so musk isn’t key to those plans.
The supreme court already gave him personal immunity for most acts he takes while president.
Not how that ruling works. The Court gets to decide what is and isn’t an official act, and can do so arbitrarily. The Court just might take issue with murdering any members of the conservative wing.
They can expect whatever they want but they have nothing to offer anymore. Trump will keep grifting the rubes and can’t run in any elections where funding would matter.
The guy is literally a pedophile, serial rapist, felon, obvious idiot, demented and drug addled. He could be the lovechild of Hitler and Stalin, born in the Congo, openly sworn fealty to Xi, Putin and the Satan, it wouldn’t matter.
It’s not obvious Trump can fire him. Musk didn’t only contribute to the Trump campaign, but also brought in tech billionaire friends. Earlier in the year, the GOP National Convention was running on pocket change. It’s quite possible Musk brought in the cash they desperately needed, and they expect a return on that investment.
Trump might have needed a reminder about who is actually in charge.
Trump doesn’t care about the Republican party. Nor does he honour agreements. Hell use them while they benefit him, financially or otherwise. Then dump them when it suits him to. He expects loyalty, he doesn’t give it. The question is will this happen before or after musk gets what he wants. Or if musk just wants power and has not got a single objective.
He can ignore the little people. He can’t ignore the people who saved his campaign. Even though this is his last term (probably), they can chew him up in other ways if he doesn’t fall in line.
Screwing over investors is his second favorite thing, right after screwing over contractors.
Right but now he’s playing with the big boys. This isn’t like when “Trump <whatever>” fleeced some rubes, now Trump is in deep with the oligarchs of the modern gilded age.
Like when he was president last time? Money isnt power. Power is power, and if the country falls far enough into autocracy, anyone who forgets that can take the fast elevator down from the 40th floor.
Screwing over the big boys who have the funds to fight back doesn’t mean he won’t screw them over. There just might be consequences for once.
That’s the thing isn’t it? You can’t actually buy political influence, the closest you can get is the wink and nudge.
The only lever they have is threatening to not donate again.
Trump doesn’t care if they donate to the GOP again. He’s not running again. Musk and friends have served their purpose, or very nearly so. The promise of their donations can be leveraged to get the votes needed to ensure appointments that can help keep trump in power or out of jail at the end of his term, be they administrative, judicial or military.
Money can be useful to power, but it’s not itself power.
"Hey, Clarence, how you doing? Virgina doing OK? Good, good. Hey, I was just thinking, my wife and I were going to use the yacht this weekend, but we had something else come up. It’s all stocked and fueled, and it’d be a shame if it went to waste. Would you and Virginia like to get away? Ok, excellent, I’ll let the crew know.
“Oh, and Thomas, you know that big ruling on Trump’s boarder plan? Yeah, make sure it doesn’t go the President’s way. Yes, of course, I’ll make sure there’s plenty of eyebrow torture porn on the shipboard theater.”
They have plenty of levers against Trump.
Trump can always try murder as an official act, that should keep people in line.
In that example, he doesn’t actually care about a wall. How does a wall benefit him? He cares about diverting money to his pocket, maintaining power, and staying out of prison.
The supreme court already gave him personal immunity for most acts he takes while president. He could literally order Thomas arrested for corruption and there’s nothing the court could do to him.
Musk has utility while he potentially helps secure votes on appointments that matter for significant goals, but securing those appointments is also desirable for other Republicans, so musk isn’t key to those plans.
Not how that ruling works. The Court gets to decide what is and isn’t an official act, and can do so arbitrarily. The Court just might take issue with murdering any members of the conservative wing.
They can expect whatever they want but they have nothing to offer anymore. Trump will keep grifting the rubes and can’t run in any elections where funding would matter.
Unless musk has some blackmail or some other leverage.
What would stick on Teflon Don?
The guy is literally a pedophile, serial rapist, felon, obvious idiot, demented and drug addled. He could be the lovechild of Hitler and Stalin, born in the Congo, openly sworn fealty to Xi, Putin and the Satan, it wouldn’t matter.
Money is hardly their only lever.
Unless it’s a bullet, Trump is going to be inaugurated on Jan 20.
As far as the SCOTUS has said, he can do a lot more than firing, which is my biggest concern…